269224 In-Class Physical Activity Breaks in Urban High Schools

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Marsha Broussard, DrPH , Louisiana Public Health Institute, New Orleans, LA
Two high schools in New Orleans are piloting and evaluating a physical activity intervention called Instant RecessŪ. Instant RecessŪ is a 10-minute physical activity break implemented in the classroom, and is designed to assist schools in achieving the standard of every student engaging in at least 30 minutes of daily physical activity. This Instant RecessŪ intervention aims to demonstrate the relative benefits of engaging in 10, 20, and 30 minutes of physical activity, to improve students' cognition and focus, increase self-efficacy for engaging in physical activity, decrease stress, and improve body image. Instant RecessŪ has been successfully implemented in elementary school settings where student activities are generally restricted to a single classroom. This intervention seeks to replicate Instant RecessŪ in high school settings where student activities are much more dynamic. Pilot project findings in two high schools will be reported in this session.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the successes and challenges of planning an in-class physical activity break program for high schools that is facilitate students meeting the goal of 30 minutes of physical activity daily. 2. Explain the process of developing an evaluation design for an in-class physical activity. 3. Discuss the evaluation data from the pilot program and adaptations for the full-implementation.

Keywords: Physical Activity, School Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am principal investigator for the project of the school-based primary prevention program. As Program Director, School Health Connection program, I led a body of work to improve health and wellness among school aged youth. I demonstrate the positive impact of SBHCs in Orleans Parish on increasing student access to care, early diagnosis and pre-diagnosis of chronic diseases, and reducing high-risk behaviors leading to unplanned pregnancies and STIs. I have numerous peer reviewed publications.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4378.0: Physical Activity and Nutrition in Schools