Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28882152›Full record

Trial reportThe international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity2017

Impact of the Supporting Physical Activity in the Childcare Environment (SPACE) intervention on preschoolers' physical activity levels and sedentary time: a single-blind cluster randomized controlled trial.

Patricia Tucker, Leigh M Vanderloo, Andrew M Johnson, Shauna M Burke, Jennifer D Irwin, Anca Gaston, Molly Driediger, Brian W Timmons

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 46 papers, 9 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
46citing papers in PubMed, 9 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

46 citing papers in PubMed, 9 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Interventions to prevent obesity in children aged 2 to 4 years old.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2025
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  6. Physical activity and sedentary time of youth in structured settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2020
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  9. Determinants of change in accelerometer-assessed sedentary behaviour in children 0 to 6 years of age: A systematic review.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2019
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  16. The effects of intervening with physical activity in the early years (ages 3-5) on health-related quality of life: a secondary analysis of the Activity Begins in Childhood (ABC) trial.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2021
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Patricia TuckerSchool of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario, 1201 Western Road, Elborn College, Room 2547, London, ON, N6G 1H1, Canada. ttucker2@uwo.ca.ORCID 0000-0002-8392-9418
Leigh M VanderlooHealth and Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
Andrew M JohnsonSchool of Health Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
Shauna M BurkeSchool of Health Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
Jennifer D IrwinSchool of Health Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
Anca GastonSchool of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
Molly DriedigerSchool of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario, 1201 Western Road, Elborn College, Room 2547, London, ON, N6G 1H1, Canada.
Brian W TimmonsChild Health & Exercise Medicine Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.

Funding

CIHR 133559
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPhysical activity levels among preschoolers in childcare are low and sedentary time high. The Supporting Physical Activity in the Childcare Environment (SPACE) intervention had three components: 1. portable play equipment; 2. staff training; and, 3. modified outdoor playtime (i.e., shorter, more frequent periods). This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of the SPACE intervention on preschoolers' physical activity levels and sedentary time during childcare hours (compared to standard care).

methodsVia a single-blind cluster randomized controlled trial, 338 preschoolers (39.86 ± 7.33 months; 52% boys) from 22 centre-based childcare facilities (11 experimental, 11 control) were enrolled. Preschoolers wore an Actical™ accelerometer for 5 days during childcare hours at baseline, post-intervention, and 6- and 12-month follow-up, and were included in the analyses if they had a minimum of two valid days (5 h each day) at baseline and one additional time point. Intervention effectiveness was tested using a linear mixed effects model for each of the four outcome variables (i.e., sedentary time, light physical activity [LPA], moderate-to-vigorous physical activity [MVPA], and total physical activity [TPA]). Fixed effects were further evaluated with t-tests, for which degrees of freedom were estimated using a Satterthwaite approximation.

resultsOne hundred and ninety-five preschoolers were retained for analyses. The intervention did not significantly impact LPA. MVPA was significantly greater among children in the experimental group when comparing post-intervention to pre-intervention, t(318) = 3.50, p = .0005, but no intervention effects were evident at 6- or 12-month follow-up. TPA was significantly greater for children in the intervention group at post-intervention when compared to pre-intervention, t(321) = 2.70, p = .007, with no intervention effects evident at later time periods. Finally, sedentary time was significantly lower among preschoolers in the experimental group when comparing post-intervention to pre-intervention, t(322) = 2.63, p = .009, with no significant effects at follow-up.

conclusionsThe SPACE intervention was effective at increasing MVPA and TPA among preschoolers, while simultaneously decreasing sedentary time. The ability of the SPACE intervention to target higher intensity activity is promising, as MVPA levels have been documented to be low in centre-based childcare. The changes in physical activity were not sustained long term (6- or 12-month follow-up).

trial registrationISRCTN70604107 (October 8, 2014).

Indexed as

Child Day Care CentersExerciseSedentary BehaviorAccelerometryChild HealthChild, PreschoolCluster AnalysisFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHealth BehaviorHealth PromotionHumansMaleSingle-Blind MethodSocioeconomic FactorsChildcareEarly yearsInterventionOutdoor playtimePhysical activityPreschoolerSedentary time

Identifiers

PMID28882152
PMCPMC5590124

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.