Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids (SPARK)

An Evidence-Based Practice

Description

Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids (SPARK) began as an elementary PE program that has expanded to include early childhood programming, middle school PE, high school PE, after school programs for elementary and middle school students, wellness programs for staff, health education, and nutrition services. SPARK programs foster environmental and behavioral change by providing physically active curriculum, on-site teacher training, follow-up support, and equipment. The original SPARK study was based on physical education (PE) classes three days a week to promote physical activity and teach exercise skills. The 30 minute lessons were half health-fitness activities, and half skill-fitness activities. The units included aerobic dance, aerobic games, walking or jogging, and jump rope. The classes progressed in intensity, duration, and complexity of the activities. To keep students motivated, they recorded their fitness levels monthly.

Goal / Mission

The goal of SPARK is to promote physical activity among youth through school-based programs.

Impact

A health-related physical education curriculum can significantly increase physical activity for students in physical education classes.

Results / Accomplishments

The original SPARK program was evaluated using a randomized, controlled trial comparing students in specialist-led and teacher-led PE classes with those in control classes. Students in the program spent significantly more time per week being physically active in the specialist-led (40 min) and teacher-led (33 min) PE classes than in control classes (18 min; p < 0.001). At a two-year follow-up, girls in the specialist-led group had significantly better abdominal strength and endurance (p < 0.001) and cardio-respiratory endurance (p < 0.001) than girls in the control group. The program had no significant effects on physical activity outside of school.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
SPARK
Primary Contact
James F. Sallis, PhD
Active Living Research
Department of Family and Preventive Medicine
University of California, San Diego
3900 5th Avenue, Suite 310
San Diego, CA 92103
619-260-5535
jsallis@ucsd.edu
http://sallis.ucsd.edu/
Topics
Health / Physical Activity
Organization(s)
SPARK
Source
American Journal of Public Health
Date of publication
Aug 1997
Date of implementation
1989
Location
USA
For more details
http://ajph.aphapublications.org/cgi/reprint/87/8/...
Target Audience
Children, Teens

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  2. Bienestar: A School-Based Diabetes and Obesity Prevention Program
  3. School-Based Asthma Therapy
  4. Support Healthy Active Kids in Education (SHAKE)
  5. Health Equity: School-Based Health Centers
  6. Choosing Healthy And Rewarding Meals (CHARM) School Program

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An Evidence-Based Practice meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes at a minimum: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program implementation steps, and outcomes that have demonstrated program success in achieving the program goal in one or more localities.
  2. The results from an evaluation of the program include quantitative measures showing improvement in the outcome(s) of interest after the implementation of the program (i.e. increase in smoking cessation, not just the delivery of a smoking cessation program). The outcome measure(s) is/are compared at relevant time periods before and after the intervention or program implementation. Alternatively, the evaluation study compares the outcome(s) between an intervention group and an appropriate control group.
  3. The study is of peer-review quality and presents numbers in a scientific manner; measurements of precision and reliability are included (e.g. confidence intervals, standard errors), results from statistical tests show a significant difference or change in the outcome measure(s), and relevant point estimates and p-values are presented. Note: if the results from an evaluation of a program are presented in a scientific manner and the outcome measure is improved compared to the baseline measurement or the control group but the difference is not statistically significant, the practice is classified as effective and not evidence-based.