Summer vacation represents a "window of vulnerability" where dramatic declines in both health and academics occur for elementary age children. Currently, there are no summer programs that incorporate curriculum addressing both unhealthy weight gains and academic achievement simultaneously. This work represents an important step towards addressing important public health goals - obesity and learning - through a comprehensive program delivered during a timeframe - summer vacation - where substantial and long-lasting negative effects occur.
Summer vacation represents an important time away from the school setting for a majority of children attending public school in the US. This break is characterized by large amounts of free time and involvement in a wide variety of formal and informal activities, time spent with friends and family, and travel. Yet for many children, particularly those from low-income households, summer vacation represents a "window of vulnerability" in which dramatic declines in both health and academics occur. During the summer months (typically 3 months) children gain a larger amount of body weight compared to the amount of weight gained over the school year, and weight gain during summer reverses weight losses achieved during school. For academics, it is well established that children from low-income households experience greater declines in reading and math during the summer than their middle-to-upper income peers. Numerous programs that address these issues currently exist (e.g., summer school, summer weight loss or fitness programs). However, these programs are designed and delivered at the expense of the promotion or prevention of the other - academic focus without health or health focus without academics. Our long-term goal is to develop summer programming for widespread dissemination that addresses both lifestyle behaviors (i.e., physical activity and nutrition) and academic performance. The objective of the proposed study is to establish the effectiveness of an innovative "Healthy Summer Learners" (HSL) program for low-income, minority children. The rationale for the proposed research is that no summer programs incorporate curriculum that addresses both unhealthy weight gains and academic achievement simultaneously. This study seeks to fill this void by testing a prototype learning and health-oriented summer program focused on promoting physical activity and nutrition, along with content that provides quality learning experiences to develop reading and math skills. To accomplish this objective, this study will evaluate over 2 summers the effectiveness of a 6-week Healthy Summer Learners program delivered within a Boys \& Girls Club summer camp using a randomized design in a sample of rising 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders. The aims of the study are Aim 1: Evaluate the impact of Healthy Summer Learners on children's weight gain and academic performance from beginning (end of Spring school year) to the end of summer (beginning of Fall school year), and Aim 2: Evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of Healthy Summer Learners to children, parents, and program staff.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
180
Physical Activity Component. The physical activity component of Healthy Summer Learners is designed to engage children in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) for at least 50% of the time. With 3 hours each day dedicated to physical activity, this translates into children accumulating 90 minutes of MVPA daily. This is 30 minutes above the 60 minutes of MVPA each day recommended by the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Nutrition Component. The nutrition component of Healthy Summer Learners is designed to provide healthy snacks and meals and nutrition education via standardized pre-existing curricula. Food/Beverage Guidelines. Meals will follow the USDA Nutrition Standards for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. Academic Component. The academic component will consist of existing, effective academic programs focused on Math and Reading.
Children in this condition will attend a 21st Century Summer Learning Program.
University of South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina, United States
Change in Body Mass Index (BMI) Z-score
Measure Description: Centers for Disease Control age and sex-specific Body Mass Index z-scores. A z-score of 0 represents the population mean. Higher or lower z-scores could represent better or worse outcomes as too low could be underweight and too high could indicate overweight or obesity. Children above the 85th percentile are considered overweight while children above the 95th percentile are considered obese
Time frame: Body mass index will be collected in the spring academic semester up to 6 weeks prior to attending HSL and the fall academic semester up to 6 weeks after attending HSL
Change in Measures of Academic Progress Reading Scores
Measure Description: Created by the Northwest Evaluation Association (www.nwea.org), MAP results are widely accepted and used extensively in school-aged children. Scores are reported using the Rasch Unit Scale, a curriculum scale developed using Item Response Theory that estimates student achievement. The Rasch Unit Scale ranges from 140-300 and are norm referenced based on grade. Higher scores indicate better reading profeciency.
Time frame: MAP reading scores will be collected in the spring academic semester up to 6 weeks prior to attending HSL and the fall academic semester up to 6 weeks after attending HSL
Average Minutes Per Day Spent in Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity During the Summer on Days Attending a Program and Not Attending a Program
Moderate to vigorous physical activity will be collected via a wrist placed Fitbit. Negative numbers mean the behavior decreased on days attending while positive numbers indicate the behavior increased on days attending. No change is indicated for the passive control as they did not attend a program. Passive control never attended a structured summer program thus no change can be calculated.
Time frame: Moderate to vigorous physical activity will be collected daily from baseline to 12 weeks
Average Minutes Per Day Spent in Sedentary Behavior During the Summer on Days Attending a Program and Not Attending a Program
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Sedentary time will be collected via a wrist placed Fitbit. Negative numbers mean the behavior decreased on days attending while positive numbers indicate the behavior increased on days attending. No change is indicated for the passive control as they did not attend a program. Passive control never attended a structured summer program thus no change can be calculated.
Time frame: Sedentary time will be collected daily from baseline to 12 weeks
Average Minutes Per Day Screen Time During the Summer on Days Attending a Program and Not Attending a Program
Screen time will be collected via parent proxy report during the summer. Passive control never attended a structured summer program thus no change can be calculated.
Time frame: Screen time will be collected twice weekly from baseline to 12 weeks
Average Number of Healthy Foods Consumed/Day on Days Attending a Program and Not Attending a Program
Diet will be collected via food frequency questionnaires and the number of healthy and unhealthy foods consumed will be calculated. Negative numbers mean the number of healthy foods consumed decreased on days attending while positive numbers indicate the number of healthy foods consumed increased on days attending. No change is indicated for the passive control as they did not attend a program. Passive control never attended a structured summer program thus no change can be calculated.
Time frame: Diet will be collected twice weekly from baseline to 12 weeks
Average Minutes Per Day of Sleep During the Summer on Days Attending a Program and Not Attending a Program
Sleep time will be collected via a wrist placed Fitbit. Negative numbers mean the behavior decreased on days attending while positive numbers indicate the behavior increased on days attending. No change is indicated for the passive control as they did not attend a program.
Time frame: Sleep will be collected daily from baseline to 12 weeks
Average Minutes Per Day Shift in Sleep Onset During the Summer on Days Attending a Program and Not Attending a Program.
Sleep onset will be collected via a wrist placed Fitbit. Negative numbers indicate sleep onset was earlier on days attending while positive numbers indicate sleep onset was later on days attending. No change is indicated for the passive control as they did not attend a program.
Time frame: Sleep onset will be collected daily from baseline to 12 weeks
Average Minutes Per Day Shift in Sleep Offset During the Summer on Days Attending a Program and Not Attending a Program
Sleep offset will be collected via a wrist-placed Fitbit. Negative numbers mean sleep offset was earlier on days attending while positive numbers indicate sleep offset was later on days attending. No change is indicated for the passive control as they did not attend a program.
Time frame: Sleep offset will be collected daily from baseline to 12 weeks
Average Minutes Per Day Shift in Sleep Midpoint During the Summer on Days Attending a Program and Not Attending a Program
Sleep midpoint will be collected via a wrist placed Fitbit. Negative numbers mean midpoint was earlier on days attending while positive numbers indicate midpoint was later on days attending. No change is indicated for the passive control as they did not attend a program.
Time frame: Sleep midpoint will be collected daily from baseline to 12 weeks