Increased Physical Activity by Accelerometry in Preschool Daycare Centers Following Implementation of the NA PSA CC Program

Purpose To determine the effect of implementing the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self Assessment for Child Care (NAPSACC) program on objectively measured physical activity during the school day in twenty-six licensed daycare centers throughout Louisiana randomized to either treatment (intervention; N=13) or control (no intervention; N = 13) conditions. Subjects: Pre-school children, 3-5 year olds (N= 105, 54 males [22 Caucasian, 32 African-American], 51 females [26 Caucasian, 25 African-Americans]; age [yrs] = 3.85 + 0.8 [Mean + SD]).

Methods At baseline and after implementation of NAPSACC, accelerometry was employed to determine physical activity levels in preschool students attending the daycare centers. Actigraph accelerometers (2010 GT3X+ models) were attached to each student for 4.5 hrs per day for 2 days during the school day (total =9 hours) prior to and six months after implementation of the NAPSACC program.

Results Students in the treatment centers demonstrated significantly greater light and moderate intensity physical activity following the intervention when compared to those attending the control centers [F(1,104) = 5.9, p < 0.05, η² = 0.054, and F(1,104) = 4.2, p <0.05, η² = .038, respectively (Multivariate analysis)]. However, no significant differences were observed between the groups in sedentary or vigorous intensity physical activity.

Conclusions The implementation of the NAPSACC program in pre-school day care centers results in a significant increase in objectively measured light to moderate intensity physical activity during the school day. Future studies should determine if these effects can be sustained, and whether a longer study duration is needed to observe significant alterations in sedentary or vigorous intensity physical activity