The iCook 4-H Study: Report on Physical Activity and Sedentary Time in Youth Participating in a Multicomponent Program Promoting Family Cooking, Eating, and Playing Together

Kendra K Kattelmann; Jessica R Meendering; Emily J Hofer; Chase M Merfeld; Melissa D Olfert; Rebecca L Hagedorn; Sarah E Colby; Lisa Franzen-Castle; Jonathan Moyer; Douglas R Mathews; Adrienne A White

doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2018.09.002

The iCook 4-H Study: Report on Physical Activity and Sedentary Time in Youth Participating in a Multicomponent Program Promoting Family Cooking, Eating, and Playing Together

J Nutr Educ Behav. 2019 Mar;51(3S):S30-S40. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2018.09.002. Epub 2018 Dec 1.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health and Nutritional Sciences, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD. Electronic address: kendra.kattelmann@sdstate.edu.
² Department of Health and Nutritional Sciences, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD.
³ Division of Animal and Nutritional Sciences in Human Nutrition and Foods, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV.
⁴ Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.
⁵ Nutrition and Health Sciences Department, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE.
⁶ Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA.
⁷ School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maine, Orono, ME.

PMID: 30509553
DOI: 10.1016/j.jneb.2018.09.002

Abstract

Objective: To report physical activity and sedentary time outcomes of youth in iCook 4-H.

Study design and setting: iCook 4-H was a 5-state, randomized, control-treatment, family-based childhood obesity prevention intervention promoting cooking, eating, and playing together.

Participants and intervention: Youth aged 9-10 years and the main preparer of their meals participated in the 12-week program followed by monthly newsletters and biyearly booster sessions until 24 months.

Main outcome measure(s): A total of 155 youth were fitted with an Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometer, which they wore for 7 days at baseline and 4, 12, and 24 months to measure mean daily minutes per hour of waking wear time for sedentary time (ST), light physical activity (PA) (LPA), moderate PA, vigorous PA, and moderate to vigorous PA. Self-reported PA was assessed using the Block Kids Physical Activity Screener and additional questions querying for the program goal of the frequency of family actively playing together. Linear mixed models were used to determine differences from baseline to 24 months. Significance was set at P ≤ .05.

Results: There was a significant (P < .05) group × time interaction for LPA (adjusted interaction B estimate, 95% confidence interval; 0.18 [0.05, 0.30]) and ST (-0.15 [-0.26, -0.04]); ST increased and LPA decreased in the treatment group. There were no differences in other accelerometer-derived PA measures, self-report Block Kids Physical Activity Screener measures, or frequency of family actively playing together at any time point.

Conclusions and implications: iCook 4-H was a multicomponent program observing youth aged 9-10 years for 24 months that focused on enhancing cooking skills, mealtime behavior and conversation, and PA through daily family activities. Greater emphasis on developing PA skills, changing environmental factors, and increasing PA both in and after school may be needed.

Keywords: family-based obesity prevention intervention; physical activity; sedentary time; youth.

Publication types

Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Child
Cooking
Exercise / physiology*
Family Relations
Family*
Feeding Behavior / physiology*
Health Promotion
Humans
Pediatric Obesity / prevention & control
Play and Playthings
Sedentary Behavior*