KISS – Physical Activity Program

OVERVIEW

KISS is a physical activity program targeted towards elementary school children. In addition to the mandatory physical education classes the students receive at school, the intervention requires that students receive an additional two physical education lessons a week, take a few short breaks throughout the day to perform activities that enhance motor skills, and perform 10 minutes of physical activity homework each day. Students in the intervention groups were found to significantly increase physical activity in school, day-long levels of activity, and aerobic fitness. The intervention had no impact on total physical activity, physical quality of life, or psychological quality of life.

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM

Target population: Elementary school children

KISS is a physical activity program targeted towards elementary school children. In addition to the mandatory physical education classes the students received at school, the intervention requires that students receive an additional two physical education lessons a week, take a few short breaks throughout the day that perform activities to enhance motor skills, and perform 10 minutes of physical activity homework each day.

EVALUATION(S) OF PROGRAM

Kriemler, S., Zahner, L., Schindler, C., Meyer, U., Hartmann, T., Hebestreit, H., …, Puder, J. J. (2010). Effect of school based physical activity programme (KISS) on fitness and adiposity in primary school children: Cluster randomized controlled trial. British Medical Journal, 340.

Evaluated population: A total of 502 Swiss children participated in the study, 297 comprised the intervention group and 205 comprised the control group. Children from first grade (222 students) and fifth grade (280 students) were enrolled. The first grade sample was 51 percent female and was an average of 7 years old. The fifth grade sample was 51 percent female and an average of 11 years old.

Approach: Twenty-eight (28) schools were randomized into the intervention or control group. The intervention group consisted of 16 classes, while the control group consisted of 12 classes. Students in the control group received the mandatory 45 minute physical education lessons three times a week. The intervention group received these classes plus two additional lessons (45 minutes each), three to five short activity breaks during the day to practice motor skills, and daily physical activity homework that lasted about 10 minutes.

The intervention lasted nine months. Measurements took place before the intervention and nine months after the intervention. Data collected included the sum of four skinfold assessments, aerobic fitness, physical activity, quality of life (through questionnaires), body mass index, and cardiovascular risk score. Regressions were adjusted to account for clustering of students in schools.

Results: Nine months after the intervention, students randomly assigned to the intervention were found to have statistically significant smaller increases in the sum of four skinfold assessments, significantly increased aerobic fitness, and significantly greater physical activity in school and total moderate and vigorous physical activity. In addition, students in the intervention group had smaller increases or larger reduction in body mass index and cardiovascular risk factors, including triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and glucose. The intervention did not increase the incidence of underweight.

The intervention did not have an impact on total physical activity, physical activity out of school, moderate and vigorous physical activity out of school, physical quality of life, or psychological quality of life. Students in the intervention group also displayed no significant differences in waist circumference and blood pressure when compared with those in the control group.

SOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION

References
Kriemler, S., Zahner, L., Schindler, C., Meyer, U., Hartmann, T., Hebestreit, H., …, Puder, J. J. (2010). Effect of school based physical activity programme (KISS) on fitness and adiposity in primary school children: Cluster randomized controlled trial. British Medical Journal, 340.

KEYWORDS: Children (3-11), Elementary, Males and Females (co-ed), School-Based, Other Physical Health

Program information last updated on 10/19/11.  

© Child Trends 2003