Background: Today’s children are more overweight than previous generations and physical inactivity is a contributing
factor. Modelling and promoting positive behaviour in the early years is imperative for the development of lifelong health
habits. The social and physical environments where children spend their time have a powerful influence on behaviour.
Since the majority of preschool children spend time in care outside of the home, this provides an ideal setting to
examine the ability of an intervention to enhance movement skills and modify physical activity behaviour. This study aims
to evaluate the efficacy of the Activity Begins in Childhood (ABC) intervention delivered in licensed daycare settings alone
or in combination with a parent-driven home physical activity-promotion component to increase preschoolers’ overall
physical activity levels and, specifically, the time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity.
Methods/design: This study is a single site, three-arm, cluster-randomized controlled trial design with a daycare centre
as the unit of measurement (clusters). All daycare centres in the National Capital region that serve children between the
ages of 3 and 5, expressing an interest in receiving the ABC intervention will be invited to participate. Those who agree
will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: i) ABC program delivered at a daycare centre only, ii) ABC program
delivered at daycare with a home/parental education component, or iii) regular daycare curriculum. This study will recruit
18 daycare centres, 6 in each of the three groups. The intervention will last approximately 6 months, with baseline
assessment prior to ABC implementation and follow-up assessments at 3 and 6 months.
Discussion: Physical activity is an acknowledged component of a healthy lifestyle and childhood experiences as it has an
important impact on lifelong behaviour and health. Opportunities for physical activity and motor development in early
childhood may, over the lifespan, influence the maintenance of a healthy body weight and reduce cardiovascular disease
risk. If successful, the ABC program may be implemented in daycare centres as an effective way of increasing healthy
activity behaviours of preschoolers.
Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials: ISRCTN94022291. Registered in December 2012, first cluster randomized in
Background: Today’s children are more overweight than previous generations and physical inactivity is a contributing
factor. Modelling and promoting positive behaviour in the early years is imperative for the development of lifelong health
habits. The social and physical environments where children spend their time have a powerful influence on behaviour.
Since the majority of preschool children spend time in care outside of the home, this provides an ideal setting to
examine the ability of an intervention to enhance movement skills and modify physical activity behaviour. This study aims
to evaluate the efficacy of the Activity Begins in Childhood (ABC) intervention delivered in licensed daycare settings alone
or in combination with a parent-driven home physical activity-promotion component to increase preschoolers’ overall
physical activity levels and, specifically, the time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity.
Methods/design: This study is a single site, three-arm, cluster-randomized controlled trial design with a daycare centre
as the unit of measurement (clusters). All daycare centres in the National Capital region that serve children between the
ages of 3 and 5, expressing an interest in receiving the ABC intervention will be invited to participate. Those who agree
will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: i) ABC program delivered at a daycare centre only, ii) ABC program
delivered at daycare with a home/parental education component, or iii) regular daycare curriculum. This study will recruit
18 daycare centres, 6 in each of the three groups. The intervention will last approximately 6 months, with baseline
assessment prior to ABC implementation and follow-up assessments at 3 and 6 months.
Discussion: Physical activity is an acknowledged component of a healthy lifestyle and childhood experiences as it has an
important impact on lifelong behaviour and health. Opportunities for physical activity and motor development in early
childhood may, over the lifespan, influence the maintenance of a healthy body weight and reduce cardiovascular disease
risk. If successful, the ABC program may be implemented in daycare centres as an effective way of increasing healthy
activity behaviours of preschoolers.
Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials: ISRCTN94022291. Registered in December 2012, first cluster randomized in
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