A kindergarten-based child health promotion program: the Adapted National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Mission X for improving physical fitness in South Korea. (December 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Min, Jungwon; Kim, Gilsook; Lim, Hyunjung; Carvajal, Nubia A.; Lloyd, Charles W.; Wang, Youfa
• Is Part Of: Global health promotion. Volume 26:Number 4(2019)
• Page Start: 52
• Page End: 61
• Publication Date: 2019-12
• Subjects: body weight -- child -- intervention -- kindergarteners -- Korea -- NASA Mission X -- parents -- physical activity -- physical fitness -- self-esteem; Health promotion -- Periodicals; Health education -- Periodicals; 613.05
• DOI: 10.1177/1757975918760517
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1757-9759

Abstract

Background: Effective and sustainable intervention programs are needed to promote physical activity (PA) in children. Objectives: To adapt the NASA Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut program for use with South Korean children, and to evaluate its feasibility and effectiveness for promoting children's physical fitness. Methods: Children 5 years old ( n = 212) and their parents were recruited from three kindergartens in three cities to participate in a 6-week intervention program in fall 2014. We assessed the children's PA and related changes, and parental changes in attitude and beliefs, after participation in the intervention. Results: Girls reported less PA than boys (40.7 vs. 59.0, p < 0.01). Children with a normal body mass index (BMI) were more likely to be active than underweight children (< 10 percentile) or overweight children (⩾ 85 percentile). After the intervention, about one-half of the children had increased their level of PA (49.4%), increased interest in PA (59.1%) and found psychological need satisfaction in exercise (52.6%). The majority of parents became aware of the necessity of childhood PA (94.2%), their child's PA capability (64.3%), and the relationship of PA with their children's self-esteem (79.9%). Conclusions: The adapted NASA Mission X program was feasible and effective in promoting PA in kindergarteners, and also improved their parents' attitude and beliefs about children's PA in South Korea. This study provided a model for promoting childhood health through child care and educational settings.