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Background: Many school-based recess interventions have been shown to be effective in increasing physical activity but their relative efficiency compared to other school-based programs are unknown. This study examined the cost-effectiveness of Ready for Recess, a program designed to increase students' physical activity in 2 elementary schools. Methods: Standard cost-effectiveness analysis method was used from a program's perspective for this study. Program effectiveness was measured as total metabolic equivalent (MET) hours gained. Program costs included equipment, training, and personnel costs during the 1-year intervention. The cost-effectiveness was measured as the ratio of program costs to total MET-hours gained. Results: Ready for Recess cost $27,643.97 for the 2 schools in the first year of implementation. Physical activity increased by 1.8 MET-hours per day per student. Approximately 32 cents were spent on Ready for Recess to produce an additional MET-hour per student per school day in the 2008-2009 school year. Conclusions: Ready for Recess was cost-effective in its first year of implementation using 35 cents as a benchmark and it was cost-effective relative to other school-based physical activity interventions. The program may be more cost-effective if implemented for a longer time and on a larger scale.

Background: Creating an optimal environment at recess may be necessary to maximize physical activity (PA) participation in youth. The purpose of this study was to determine the initial effectiveness of an elementary school recess intervention on the amount of moderate PA (MPA) and vigorous PA (VPA) during recess and the school day. Methods: This school-based intervention included staff training, activity zones, and playground equipment. The PA levels of third, fourth, and fifth grade students (n = 93) at two schools were measured at baseline and post-intervention using ActiGraph accelerometers. Paired t tests were used to compare percentage of time spent during recess in MPA and VPA. Multiple regressions were utilized to model the effect of intervention, age, sex, race, body mass index, and school on minutes spent in MPA and VPA. Results: The multiple regression results demonstrated increases of 2.5 minutes of MPA (p less than 0.001) and 2.2 minutes of VPA (p less than 0.001) at recess and an increase of 18.7 minutes of MPA (p less than 0.001) and 4.7 minutes of VPA (p less than 0.001) during the school day. These represent respective increases of 51.2% and 112.2% in the adjusted means of MPA and VPA during recess and respective increases of 92.2% and 71.6% in the adjusted mean of MPA and VPA during school day. Conclusion: Staff training, recreational equipment, and playground markings are inexpensive, simple ways to increase PA during recess so that children can accumulate minutes of PA to meet the recommended guidelines of 60 minutes per day. (Contains 2 tables.)

Background: Despite the numerous physiological, psychological, and academic benefits of physical activity (PA), declines in PA levels among girls have been observed over the last decade. The purpose of this preliminary study was to assess the short-term changes pertaining to Girls on the Run and Girls on Track developmentally focused youth sport programs (DYS) on global self-esteem, body image, commitment to PA, and PA frequency. Methods: This preliminary study employed a nonexperimental, one-group, pre- and postintervention study design using a 29-item paper-and-pencil assessment tool (n = 1034). Results: Paired sample t-tests from pre- to postintervention revealed statistically significant differences in self-esteem (p less than 0.001), body size satisfaction (p less than 0.001), and vigorous PA frequency (p less than 0.001). Stratification by the number of times participating in the intervention revealed the greatest changes at first participation followed with continued improvements in self-esteem (p = 0.013) and body size satisfaction (p less than 0.001) for those participating in a second time. Age differences were also observed between participants less than or equal to 10 years old and 11-15 years; in that significant improvements in commitment to PA (p = 0.003) were observed for the older girls. Conclusions: Findings suggest DYS programs Girls on the Run and Girls on Track may produce beneficial changes in self-esteem, body size satisfaction, PA commitment, and PA frequency. Although the findings from the current report are preliminary, they suggest that DYS programs designed exclusively for girls may provide the necessary framework to promote PA to achieve the numerous associated benefits. (Contains 4 tables.)