Despite national recommendations that children engage in 60 minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), most children fall short of this target. Research shows that this gap disproportionately affects children who are female and who have overweight/obesity. Programs designed to increase children’s physical literacy – defined as the competence, confidence, and motivation to be physically active for life – hold particular promise for equitably closing the MVPA gap.
The Supporting Physical Literacy at School and Home (SPLASH) Study is a five-year research study co-led by Dr. Erin Hennessy and Dr. Jennifer Sacheck (George Washington University). SPLASH is designed to increase children’s physical literacy as well as their total daily physical activity. Funded by the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health, the SPLASH study will design and test an innovative program to reach children both at school and home to increase their physical activity.
ChildObesity180 has developed a unique partnership between Tufts University and New York Road Runners. In collaboration with New York Road Runners, we will enhance their existing school-based physical-literacy focused curriculum and program, Rising New York Road Runners, by developing and testing a family-engagement component. The multilevel program will then be rigorously tested in a randomized-control trial.
Photo courtesy of New York Road Runners