This is a clinical trial that tested whether a 12-week exercise program using smart wristbands and personalized goal-setting could help children with cancer become more active, feel more confident about exercising, and improve their quality of life. The study included 72 children and teenagers (ages 6-18) receiving cancer treatment at two hospitals in China. They were divided into two groups: Intervention group (33 children): Used a smart wristband to track daily steps, followed a personalized exercise plan, and received weekly guidance. Control group (39 children): Continued with usual care (no special exercise program). The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Does the exercise program help children with cancer move more and sit less; 2. Can it boost their confidence to stay active and improve their physical and emotional well-being?
What did the study find? * Children in the exercise group: * Increased active time: They did more moderate-to-vigorous exercise (like brisk walking or playing) by the end of the program. * Walked more steps daily: From about 2,200 steps/day at the start to over 6,300 steps/day after 12 weeks. * Felt more confident: They believed they could keep exercising even during treatment. * Improved well-being: Parents and children reported better physical energy, mood, and social interactions. * Comparison with the control group: * The exercise group showed much greater improvements than the group without the program. What does this mean for families? This study suggests that combining wearable devices (like step trackers) with simple goal-setting and family support may help children with cancer stay active during treatment. Staying active could reduce fatigue, improve mood, and support recovery. What's next? While these results are promising, larger studies are needed to confirm the long-term benefits and safety of such programs.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
72
Children in the control group received routine health education, which included cancer-related treatment, care, and general health education (e.g., treatment-related, diet, and exercise) without systematic PA health education. Every four weeks, knowledge related to sports activities, the harms of insufficient physical activity, and the benefits of increasing physical activity were pushed through the WeChat platform. During the hospitalization of the child patient, they can voluntarily participate in the activities organized by social workers.
Researchers will conduct a comprehensive evaluation for each pediatric patient, including: * Disease status and clinical characteristics * Patient and family knowledge regarding physical activity (PA) * Availability of social support systems
Based on assessment findings, two structured educational sessions (20-30 minutes each) will be delivered, covering: * Disease-specific knowledge and PA guidelines * Practical strategies for safe exercise (e.g., intensity adjustment, injury prevention) * Interactive demonstrations of age-appropriate movement techniques
Patients will co-develop personalized PA plans using the six-step self-regulation framework from the ITHBC (Integrative Theory of Health Behavior Change), including: * Short/long-term goal formulation * Progress monitoring tools * Barrier problem-solving protocols
Patients will perform PA 3-5 times weekly (20-30 minutes/session) aligned with individualized goals, adhering to oncology-specific safety guidelines
Mondays: Curated PA educational content (e.g., home-based exercise videos, fatigue management tips) will be disseminated via the WeChat platform. Sundays: Scheduled telehealth check-ins with patients and caregivers to: * Review PA adherence and experiential feedback * Address knowledge gaps through tailored coaching * Reinforce behavior change techniques (e.g., self-monitoring logs)
Regular monitoring and evaluation will be conducted to assess PA outcomes: comprehensive evaluations will identify barriers (e.g., treatment-related fatigue) and guide real-time adjustments to the exercise plan based on the patient's physical condition and performance. To enhance adherence, families will collaboratively set alarm reminders for PA sessions, and caregivers will be invited to supervise daily activities.
Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Prevention Center
Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
physical activity
This study assessed physical activity (PA) patterns in children with cancer using the Children's Leisure Time Activities Study Survey-Chinese version (CLASS-C), a culturally adapted instrument developed by thVigorous PA (e.g., running, basketballe Chinese University of Hong Kong through rigorous forward-backward translation and validation. The CLASS-C captures time spent in specific activities over the past 7 days through 21 items, recording frequency (e.g., days/week) and duration (minutes/session) across three intensity categories：Light PA (e.g., walking, stretching); Moderate PA (e.g., cycling, dancing).
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks
physical activity self-efficacy
Physical activity (PA) self-efficacy in children with cancer was evaluated using the Chinese Short Version of the Physical Activity Self-Efficacy Scale (SPASES-C), a culturally adapted instrument derived from the original 8-item SPASES through rigorous forward-backward translation and psychometric validation. The SPASES-C assesses confidence in overcoming barriers to PA via 7 Likert-type items scored from 1 ("not confident at all") to 4 ("very confident"), yielding a total range of 7-28 points. Higher total scores reflect stronger self-efficacy beliefs (e.g., 7 = minimal confidence, 28 = maximal confidence). Internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.87) and construct validity (CFI = 0.93) were established in pediatric populations through prior studies.
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks
quality of life of children with cancer
This study utilized the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ Generic Core Scales Version 4.0 (PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales) to assess the quality of life (QoL) in children diagnosed with cancer. The PedsQL™ 4.0 is a widely validated instrument designed to measure core dimensions of health-related quality of life in pediatric populations aged 2 to 18 years, including physical, emotional, social, and school functioning. Each item is scored on a 5-point Likert scale (0 = never a problem; 4 = almost always a problem), which is then reverse-scored and linearly transformed to a 0-100 scale, where higher scores indicate better quality of life. Thus, the total score as well as subscale scores range from 0 (worst QoL) to 100 (best QoL), with higher values reflecting fewer problems and greater perceived well-being.
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks
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