A cluster randomised controlled trial evaluating an incentive‐based outdoor physical activity programme to increase outdoor time and prevent myopia in children. (27th January 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ngo, Cheryl S.; Pan, Chen‐Wei; Finkelstein, Eric A.; Lee, Chun‐Fan; Wong, Inez B.; Ong, Julia; Ang, Marcus; Wong, Tien‐Yin; Saw, Seang‐Mei
• Is Part Of: Ophthalmic and physiological optics. Volume 34:Number 3(2014:May)
• Page Start: 362
• Page End: 368
• Publication Date: 2014-01-27
• Subjects: Ophthalmology -- Periodicals; Physiological optics -- Periodicals; Optometry -- Periodicals; Optics -- Periodicals; Vision -- Periodicals; 617.75
• DOI: 10.1111/opo.12112
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0275-5408

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="opo12112-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="opo12112-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Purpose</title> <p>To evaluate an incentive‐based intervention to increase time spent outdoors among children in a 9‐month cluster randomised controlled trial.</p> </sec> <sec id="opo12112-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Two hundred and eighty‐five children aged 6–12 years of age were randomised to the intervention (<italic>n</italic> = 147) or control arm (<italic>n</italic> = 138) in the Family incentive trial (FIT). The FIT intervention comprised of targeted education on myopia and good eye care habits, structured weekend outdoor activities and incentives for children to increase their daily steps via pedometers. The main outcome measure was outdoor time, measured by the WHO questionnaire and a 1‐week diary.</p> </sec> <sec id="opo12112-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Interim analysis at 6 months showed a significant increase in mean outdoor time per week in the intervention arm (14.75 h week<sup>−1</sup>) compared to the control arm (12.40 h week<sup>−1</sup>) as measured by the questionnaire (<italic>p</italic> = 0.04). However, greater outdoor time was not statistically significant at the end of the trial (15.95 h week<sup>−1</sup> vs 14.34 h in the control group (<italic>p</italic> = 0.29).</p> </sec> <sec id="opo12112-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>There was an increase in outdoor time for children in the incentive‐based physical activity outdoor program after 6 months but not at the end of the trial. Further larger school trials with better compliance with the intervention and longer duration could be conducted to evaluate clinical outcomes such as myopic shifts.</p> </sec> </abstract>