Impact of a social-emotional and character development program on school-level indicators of academic achievement, absenteeism, and disciplinary outcomes: A matched-pair, cluster randomized, controlled trial.

This paper reports the effects of a comprehensive elementary school-based social-emotional and character education program on school-level achievement, absenteeism, and disciplinary outcomes utilizing a matched-pair, cluster randomized, controlled design. The Hawai'i trial included 20 racially/ethnically diverse schools (mean enrollment = 544) and was conducted from the 2002-03 through the 2005-06 academic years. Using school-level archival data, analyses comparing change from baseline (2002) to one-year post trial (2007) revealed that intervention schools scored 9.

Autonomic response to upright tilt in people with and without Down syndrome.

This study examined whether the autonomic response to passive upright tilt as evidenced by changes in measures of heart rate and blood pressure variability differs between individuals with DS and without DS. Beat-to-beat blood pressure was measured in 26 individuals with Down syndrome (DS) and 11 individuals without DS during 5 min of rest and 5 min of upright tilt. Dependent variables included heart rate, blood pressure, frequency component measures of heart rate and blood pressure variability, and baroreflex sensitivity.

Pedometer-measured physical activity patterns of youth: a 13-country review.

Context: Insufficient physical activity among young people aged 5-18 years is a global public health issue, with considerable disparities among countries. A systematic review was conducted to identify studies reporting pedometer daily steps (steps x day(-1)) in order to compile comparative, global cross-sectional data on youth physical activity patterns.

Evidence Acquisition: Articles were included if they were in English, published by April 2009, and reported steps x day(-1) for boys and girls, separately, and reported steps x day(-1) for age groupings of no more than 4 years (e.

Adjusting step count recommendations for anthropometric variations in leg length.

Recent public health recommendations for step frequency over a given timeframe (steps min(-1)) associated with moderate-intensity physical activity (MPA) have been developed. The recommendation suggests 100 steps min(-1). This estimate overlooks the impact of anthropometric differences between individuals, notably leg length, which is related to step frequency.

Accuracy of pedometer steps and time for youth with intellectual disabilities during dynamic movements.

Pedometer accuracy for steps and activity time during dynamic movement for youth with intellectual disabilities (ID) were examined. Twenty-four youth with ID (13 girls, 13.1 +/- 3.

Physical activity levels of children with intellectual disabilities during school.

Introduction: Current guidelines recommend school-age children accumulate at least 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) on most days of the week. Little is known about the activity level of school-age children with intellectual disabilities (ID).

Purpose: To evaluate physical activity patterns of children with ID during three school settings: adapted physical education (APE, 55 min), classroom (CR, 55 min), and recess (RE, 25 min).

Use of a social and character development program to prevent substance use, violent behaviors, and sexual activity among elementary-school students in Hawaii.

Objectives: We assessed the effectiveness of a 5-year trial of a comprehensive school-based program designed to prevent substance use, violent behaviors, and sexual activity among elementary-school students.

Methods: We used a matched-pair, cluster-randomized, controlled design, with 10 intervention schools and 10 control schools. Fifth-graders (N = 1714) self-reported on lifetime substance use, violence, and voluntary sexual activity.

Longitudinal patterns of binge drinking among first year college students with a history of tobacco use.

Background: Underage heavy episodic drinking is a major contributor to alcohol-related morbidity/mortality. Reports indicate underage binge drinking among college students is widespread and has remained stable over the past decade. This study describes individual characteristics and calendar-specific events associated with binge drinking episodes over the course of freshman college academic year (2002-2003).

After-school program impact on physical activity and fitness: a meta-analysis.

Context: The majority of children do not participate in sufficient amounts of daily, health-enhancing physical activity. One strategy to increase activity is to promote it within the after-school setting. Although promising, the effectiveness of this strategy is unclear.

Promoting children's health through physically active math classes: a pilot study.

School-based interventions are encouraged to support youth physical activity (PA). Classroom-based PA has been incorporated as one component of school wellness policies. The purpose of this pilot study is to examine the effects of integrating PA with mathematics content on math class and school day PA levels of elementary students.

Are current body mass index referenced pedometer step-count recommendations applicable to US youth?

Background: The purpose of this study was to cross-validate international BMI-referenced steps/d cut points for US girls (12,000 steps/d) and boys (15,000 steps/d) 6 to 12 years of age.

Methods: Secondary pedometer-determined physical activity data from US children (N=1067; 633 girls and 434 boys, 6 to 12 years) were analyzed. Using international BMI classifications, cross-validation of the 12,000 and 15,000 steps/d cut points was examined by the classification precision, sensitivity, and specificity for each age-sex stratum.

School climate and teachers' beliefs and attitudes associated with implementation of the positive action program: a diffusion of innovations model.

Teacher- and school-level factors influence the fidelity of implementation of school-based prevention and social character and development (SACD) programs. Using a diffusion of innovations framework, the relationships among teacher beliefs and attitudes towards a prevention/SACD program and the influence of a school's administrative support and perceptions of school connectedness, characteristics of a school's climate, were specified in two cross-sectional mediation models of program implementation. Implementation was defined as the amount of the programs' curriculum delivered (e.

Association of father involvement and neighborhood quality with kindergartners' physical activity: a multilevel structural equation model.

Purpose: Examine the effects of father-child involvement and neighborhood characteristics with young children's physical activity (PA) within a multilevel framework.

Design: Cross-sectional analysis of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort 1998.

Setting: Nationally representative sample.

Gait parameters in children with motor disabilities using an electronic walkway system: assessment of reliability.

Purpose: The study was designed to determine the reliability of temporal-spatial gait parameters in children with motor disabilities in two conditions: bare foot and with shoes and orthoses.

Subjects: : Nineteen children (mean age of 6.8 years) with Gross Motor Functional Classification System levels I-III participated.

Accuracy of pedometer steps and time for youth with disabilities.

The purpose of the study was to examine the accuracy of pedometer steps and activity time (Walk4Life, WL) for youth with developmental disabilities. Eighteen youth (11 girls, 7 boys) 4-14 years completed six 80-meter self-paced walking trials while wearing a pedometer at five waist locations (front right, front left, back right, back left, middle back). Trials were video taped to determine actual steps and activity time.

Accuracy of voice-announcement pedometers for youth with visual impairment.

Thirty-five youth with visual impairments (13.5 +/- 2.1 yrs, 13 girls and 22 boys) walked four 100-meter distances while wearing two units (right and left placement) of three brands of voice-announcement (VA) pedometers (Centrios Talking Pedometer, TALKiNG Pedometer, and Sportline Talking Calorie Pedometer 343) and a reference pedometer (NL2000).

Effects of school-based cardiovascular-fitness training in children with mental retardation.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a school-based cardiovascular-fitness-training program in children with mental retardation (MR). Thirty boys (8-15 years old) with mild to moderate mental retardation were randomly divided into 2 groups--experimental (EX) and control (CN). The EX group underwent 10 weeks of training 3 times/week for a duration of 1 hr/session at 60-80% peak heart rate.

The role of self-efficacy and referent specific social support in promoting rural adolescent girls' physical activity.

Objective: To examine the role of social support (SS) and self-efficacy (SE) for physical activity (PA) in rural high school girls (N = 259, 15.5+1.2 yrs).

The efficacy of a 9-month treadmill walking program on the exercise capacity and weight reduction for adolescents with severe autism.

This study evaluated the efficacy of a 9-month treadmill walking (TW) program on exercise capacity and body mass index (BMI) for adolescents with severe autism. Ten youth residing in a residential/school treatment facility were assigned to either a supplemental treadmill walking (TW) or control group. Both groups continued to participate in their regular physical education curriculum.

Student and Parent Self-Reported Changes in Physical Activity Behavior while Wearing an Unsealed Pedometer.

Child-parent pairs (n = 109) completed a questionnaire assessing whether changes in normal physical activity levels occurred (child) or were observed (parent) when the children wore a pedometer for 7 days. Over two-thirds of the children (78.5%) and almost half of the parents (47.

Progressive aerobic cardiovascular endurance run and body mass index among an ethnically diverse sample of 10-15-year-olds.

This study examined the cardiovascular fitness (CVF, Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run [PACER], number of laps completed) and the prevalence of at risk of overweight (AR) and overweight (OW) among 10-15-year-olds (48% girls)from the following ethnic backgrounds: African American (n = 2,604), Asian-Pacific Islander (n = 3,888), Hispanic (n = 11,680); and White non-Hispanic (n = 16,352). Hierarchal multiple linear regression analysis, controlling for height and weight, with White non-Hispanics serving as the comparison group, revealed a limited number of significant differences among PACER performances, with no values exceeding +/- 4.43 laps.

Social support and youth physical activity: the role of provider and type.

Objective: To examine provider and type variation in social support (SS) for activity.

Methods: Three hundred sixty-three fifth to eighth-grade students completed a questionnaire assessing self-reported activity and social support (SS) from 3 providers: mom, dad, and peers. Important covariates of activity were included in the analysis: age, BMI, sex, and maturation.

Effects of creatine, ginseng, and astragalus supplementation on strength, body composition, mood, and blood lipids during strength-training in older adults.

The effects of supplemental dietary creatine and a botanical extract consisting of ginseng and astragalus were evaluated in 44 adults aged 55-84 years participating in a 12-week strength-training program. Participants consumed creatine only (Cr), creatine plus botanical extract (CrBE), or placebo (PL), and performed bench press, lat pull down, biceps curl, leg press, knee extension, and knee flexion for 3 sets of 8-12 reps on 3 days per week for 12 weeks. The 1-repetition maximum for each exercise, body composition (full-body DEXA), blood lipids, and mood states were evaluated before and after the intervention.

Cardiac autonomic control in individuals with Down syndrome.

Our goal in this study was to compare cardiac autonomic control at rest between 50 individuals with Down syndrome and 24 control participants without disabilities. Resting autonomic function was assessed using analysis of heart rate variability. Participants with Down syndrome had reduced total heart rate variability, which indicates possible autonomic dysfunction in this population.