An in-classroom physical activity breaks program to improve academic achievement, movement behaviors and health outcomes in grade five students in Sri Lanka
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN52180050 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN52180050 |
- Submission date
- 11/07/2022
- Registration date
- 20/07/2022
- Last edited
- 11/08/2025
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Other
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
Recent evidence has indicated that physical inactivity is affecting academic achievement and health outcomes among primary school children. To mitigate the impacts of physical inactivity, classrooms were identified as the most suitable settings to keep elementary-level students physically active, while contributing to the development of their academic achievement and health enhancement. However, recent review studies indicated that there is a research niche on how the classroom can be utilised as a setting to promote healthy behaviors such as engaging in physical activities while improving multiple outcomes of primary school children. Hence, this study aimed to introduce in-classroom physical activity breaks (IcPAB) for elementary-level students, as a means to promote academic achievement, movement behaviors and health outcomes.
Who can participate?
Grade Five students at the government schools in Badulla District, Sri Lanka
What does the study involve?
Schools in Badulla District will be contacted to collect data. A range of models for the analysis of grouped data and behavioral modelling will be utilised to analyse data to bring significant recommendations for future health promotion among children in education institutes in Sri Lanka.
The specific objectives are to evaluate the effects of IcPAB on Grade Five students:
1. Mathematics and reading performance
2. Physical activity levels and sedentary behavior
3. Body mass index, aerobic fitness and perceived stress.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Both the students and teachers at the participating schools will benefit from the experience of a new approach added to the traditional seated teaching and learning. It is assumed that the students will improve their grades, perform better in the examinations, be more active, physically, and mentally fit.
Should the children or the classroom teachers not want to do the intervention activities, they can opt-out without any reason. Parents, children, and teachers will be reassured that they can withdraw their permission at any time during this project without any penalties. There are no foreseeable added risks identified above the risks of everyday life.
The teachers will be requested to implement physical activity breaks for five minutes (three times per day). Therefore, teachers have to risk their time management. However, the intervention fidelity will be evaluated through personal visits to the intervention schools and logbooks. This will minimize the time management issues and physical activity breaks implementation from the teachers’ side. In addition, implementing the activities would not harm the students' physical or emotional health as the teachers have complete autonomy to choose the most appropriate time slot to carry on in-classroom physical activity breaks. Data collection will be conducted by adhering to the Helsinki declaration, national and school level safety protocols, and COVID-19 prevention guidelines.
Where is the study run from?
Hong Kong Baptist University (Hong Kong)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
March 2022 to December 2022
Who is funding the study?
Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (Hong Kong)
Who is the main contact?
Ms Hashi Peiris
hashi_peiris@life.hkbu.edu.hk
Contact information
Principal Investigator
Department of Sport Physical Education and Health
Faculty of Social Sciences
Room 926 AAB
Hong Kong Baptist University
Kowloon Tong
999077
Hong Kong
 ORCID ID |
0000-0001-8010-5686 |
|---|---|
| Phone | +852 55190583 |
| hashi_peiris@life.hkbu.edu.hk |
Public
Assistant Professor
Room 928
Academic Administration Building
Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health
Faculty of Social Sciences
Hong Kong Baptist University
Hong Kong SAR
999077
Hong Kong
| Phone | +852 3411 3080 |
|---|---|
| duanyp@hkbu.edu.hk |
Study information
| Study design | Interventional parallel-group randomized single-blind controlled trial |
|---|---|
| Primary study design | Interventional |
| Secondary study design | Randomised controlled trial |
| Study setting(s) | School |
| Study type | Treatment |
| Participant information sheet | Not available in web format |
| Scientific title | Classroom-based physical activity breaks to improve academic achievement, behavioral health and health outcomes among primary school children in Badulla District Sri Lanka |
| Study objectives | A classroom-based physical activity breaks program will improve the academic achievement, movement behaviors and health outcomes of grade five school children in the Badulla district, Sri Lanka |
| Ethics approval(s) | Approved 08/07/2022, Ethics Review Committee of University of Kelaniya (University of Kelaniya, Dalugama, 11600, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka; +94112911391; erc@kln.ac.lk), ref: UOK/ERC/SS/2022/009 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | A classroom-based physical activity breaks program |
| Intervention | This is a two-group parallel randomized controlled trial. Control schools will not receive any treatments. Intervention schools will receive five-minute physical activity breaks at least three times per day by the classroom teachers for 12 weeks. This is a pre-post-test intervention only. There will be no treatment during the follow-up period. The schools that consent to participate in the study will be randomized by shuffling sealed envelopes with the treatment allocation inside. Shuffling will be done by a resource person from a randomly selected school who will not be involved in the participant recruitment, intervention implementation, and outcome evaluation. Classroom teachers, children, and parents will sign the written informed consent form before the study commencement. |
| Intervention type | Behavioural |
| Primary outcome measure | Academic achievement (mathematics and reading) measured using curriculum-related tests designed and approved by teachers at baseline and post-intervention at week 12 |
| Secondary outcome measures | 1. Movement behaviors (LPA, MPA, MVPA, SED) measured using accelerometers at baseline and post-intervention at week 12 2. Health outcomes (BMI, Aerobic fitness, Perceived stress) measured using height in cm, weight in kg, beep test and a validated perceived stress evaluation questionnaire at baseline and post-intervention at week 12 |
| Overall study start date | 08/03/2022 |
| Completion date | 30/12/2022 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Learner/student |
|---|---|
| Age group | Child |
| Lower age limit | 9 Years |
| Upper age limit | 10 Years |
| Sex | Both |
| Target number of participants | 198 |
| Total final enrolment | 270 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. Grade 5 students (aged 9 to 10 years old regardless of gender) from the Badulla district 2. Informed consent and confirmed ascent 3. Healthy condition 4. No special education needs |
| Key exclusion criteria | 1. Special education needs 2. Special health conditions 3. No informed consent and assent |
| Date of first enrolment | 18/05/2022 |
| Date of final enrolment | 08/06/2022 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- Sri Lanka
Study participating centre
Bandarawela
Badulla District
90100
Sri Lanka
Sponsor information
University/education
Department of Sport
Physical Education and Health
Faculty of Social Sciences
Room 926, AAB
Hong Kong
999077
China
| Phone | +852 55190583 |
|---|---|
| duanyp@hkbu.edu.hk | |
| Website | http://buwww.hkbu.edu.hk/eng/main/index.jsp |
"ROR" |
https://ror.org/0145fw131 |
Funders
Funder type
University/education
Government organisation / Universities (academic only)
- Alternative name(s)
- 香港浸會大學, 香港浸會大學, HKBU, BaptistU
- Location
- Hong Kong
Results and Publications
| Intention to publish date | 31/07/2024 |
|---|---|
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | Yes |
| IPD sharing plan summary | Available on request |
| Publication and dissemination plan | 1. Planned publication in a high-impact peer-reviewed journal 2. Protocol of the study 3. Findings of the study |
| IPD sharing plan | All data including code books will be stored on the office computer's hard drive, which is encrypted and password protected. Any raw data that encloses participant-level information will not be disclosed to the public. Relevant data without disclosing the information of individuals will be shared upon request to Ms Hashi Peiris, hashi_peiris@life.hkbu.edu.hk, or Dr Duan Yanping, duanyp@hkbu.edu.hk, at the time of sending the final report to a peer-reviewed journal, with its DOI corresponding to the data associated with the research. |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protocol article | 22/04/2024 | 08/05/2024 | Yes | No | |
| Other publications | teachers’ opportunity, capability and motivation relating to the implementation of an in-classroom physical activity breaks programme | 20/07/2023 | 11/08/2025 | Yes | No |
Editorial Notes
11/08/2024: Publication reference added.
08/05/2024: Publication reference added.
05/12/2023: The intention to publish date was changed from 31/12/2023 to 31/07/2024.
19/07/2022: Trial's existence confirmed by the Ethics Review Committee of the University of Kelaniya.
