Music-based Exercise Activities for Children, Effects on Sedentary Behavior, Physical Activity, Intervention Implementation, and Enjoyment

Regular physical activity (PA) and avoidance of prolonged sitting are essential for children’s healthy growth and well-being. Music may promote behavioral change through increased exercise participation and adherence. This thesis determined whether music-based exercises could affect sedentary behavior (SB) and physical activity among four- to seven-year-old children in the home environment. The thesis and its original publications are based on two study sets. The studies evaluated the randomized effects of a movement-to-music video program (Study 1) and the within-subject differences of music mat exercises (Study 2) on children’s SB, PA, intervention adherence, fidelity, and enjoyment. A sample of 203 mother-child pairs in Study 1 and 14 families in Study 2 were included in the analysis. In both studies, SB and PA were evaluated using accelerometers at baseline, and again during the first and final weeks of the eight-week interventions. Intervention adherence, fidelity, and enjoyment were examined through exercise diaries and questionnaires. In both studies, the results showed that average changes in SB and PA were small. However, among children who used the video program or the music mat as instructed, SB decreased, and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) slightly increased. The mothers’ own musical background seemed to be positively associated with their children’s light PA. In addition, if the mothers were moderately or highly motivated by the exercise program’s music, the children in Study 1 were more likely to increase their MVPA. The children’s music-based hobbies did not change the measured outcomes in Study 2, but they were more likely to use the music mat than children without music-based hobbies. Children’s positive feelings about receiving encouragement from their families were associated with an increase in self-reported PA. In conclusion, providing the means for music-based exercise activity did not decrease SB or increase PA during a short-term intervention in the home environment. However, children with music-based hobbies or who had parents with a musical background might benefit more from music-based activities by decreasing their SB and increasing their PA, although there were no group-level accelerometer-measured changes during the interventions.Aktiivinen liikkuminen ja liiallisen paikallaanolon välttäminen tukevat lasten tervettä kasvua ja kehitystä. Musiikkia käyttämällä voidaan lisätä harjoittelun kiinnostavuutta. Väitöskirjassa selvitetään, voidaanko kodeissa vaikuttaa 4–7-vuotiaiden lasten paikallaanoloon ja fyysiseen aktiivisuuteen musiikkia ja liikuntaa yhdistämällä. Väitöskirja ja sen osajulkaisut perustuvat kahteen aineistoon: satunnaiste-tussa kontrolloidussa tutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin musiikkiliikuntavideoiden ja toistomittauksiin perustuvassa tutkimuksessa musiikkimatolla liikkumisen vaikutuksia lasten paikallaanoloon, fyysiseen aktiivisuuteen, harjoitteluun sitoutumiseen ja liikunnasta nauttimiseen kahdeksan harjoitteluviikon aikana. Analyyseihin sisällytettiin ensimmäisestä aineistosta 203 äiti–lapsi-paria ja toisesta aineistosta 14 perhettä. Molemmissa tutkimuksissa paikallaanoloa ja fyysistä aktiivisuutta mitattiin liikemittareilla ennen tutkimuksen alkua sekä ensimmäisellä ja viimeisellä tutkimusviikolla. Harjoitteluun sitoutumista ja liikunnan nautittavuutta tarkasteltiin päiväkirjojen ja kyselyiden avulla. Tulosten mukaan keskimääräiset muutokset paikallaanolossa ja fyysisessä aktiivisuudessa olivat pieniä. Tutkimuksissa kuitenkin havaittiin, että ohjeiden mukaan harjoittelevilla lapsilla paikallaanolo väheni ja reipas ja rasittava liikkuminen lisääntyivät hieman. Äitien musiikkitausta näytti vaikuttavan positiivisesti lasten kevyen liikkumisen määrään. Lisäksi havaittiin, että lapset lisäsivät todennäköisemmin reipasta ja rasittavaa liikkumista, mikäli musiikkiliikuntavideoissa käytetty musiikki motivoi äitejä. Lasten omat musiikkiharrastukset eivät vaikuttaneet paikallaanolon tai fyysisen aktiivisuuden määrään. Musiikkia harrastavat lapset kuitenkin käyttivät musiikkimattoa todennäköisemmin kuin lapset, jotka eivät harrastaneet musiikkia. Lasten positiiviset kokemukset ja perheeltä saatu rohkaisu olivat yhteydessä itseraportoidun fyysisen aktiivisuuden lisääntymiseen. Musiikkiliikunta ei vähentänyt lasten paikallaanoloa tai lisännyt fyysistä aktiivisuutta lyhytkestoisen kotona toteutetun harjoitteluohjelman aikana. Vaikka ryhmätason muutoksia ei liikemittarilla mitattuna löytynyt, lasten musiikkiharrastukset ja vanhempien musiikkitausta lisäsivät lasten sitoutumista musiikkiliikuntaan mahdollistaen terveyshyötyjen saavuttaminen pidemmällä aikavälillä

The Test–Retest Repeatability of a Rhythm Coordination Test Procedure in 4- to 6-Year-Old Children : A Pilot Study

Moving to music combines the ability of rhythm and coordination. In relation to the musical and motor development of children, sensorimotor synchronization requires the ability to perceive and perform a steady beat. The present pilot study aimed to investigate the test–retest repeatability of a rhythm coordination test procedure in order to pilot the procedure for children. Test–retest repeatability reflects the variation in measurements taken by the rhythm coordination test on the same participant under the same conditions. Ten children (mean age 5.5 years, standard deviation (SD) 0.6) participated in the tests. The test performance was evaluated in points from 0 to 8, separately at a slow and fast pace, resulting in 16 points altogether. Test sessions were performed twice for each child within a four-day interval. Children reached, on average, 7.8 (SD 3.5) points in the first and 8.1 (SD 3.6) points out of 16 in the second test session. The test–retest mean intra class correlation was 0.96, indicating a high repeatability of the rhythm coordination test for children. Further, the children older than 5.5 years achieved a higher number of points than the younger ones, and they seemed to reach almost the same level as adults. The rhythm coordination test procedure for children provides a promising means of assessing children’s sensorimotor synchronization in the context of movement and music.peerReviewe

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Relationship between mothers’ enjoyment and sedentary behavior and physical activity of mother-child dyads using a movement-to-music video program : a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial

Background: Parental support and participation in physical activity (PA) with children and parents’ acting as a role model for less sedentary behaviors (SB) are critical factors for children’s healthier lifestyle. The purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between mothers’ enjoyment and participants’ sedentary behavior (SB) and physical activity (PA) as a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) using data from Moving Sound RCT in the Pirkanmaa area of Finland. Methods: The participants were 108 mother–child dyads (child age 5–7 years) who completed the eight-week exercise intervention using a movement-to-music video program in their homes. Mothers’ enjoyment was examined using a modified version of the enjoyment in sport questionnaire. The proportion of SB, standing, light PA, moderate-to-vigorous PA, and Total PA were derived from accelerometers at baseline and during the final week of the intervention. Analyses were performed using linear mixed-effect models for (1) intervention and control groups, (2) groups based on mothers’ enjoyment. Results: The results highlighted that mothers’ enjoyment of exercise with their children was overall high. Although there was no difference between the intervention and control groups, mothers in the intervention group increased their enjoyment during the intervention (p = 0.007). With mothers’ higher enjoyment at baseline, children’s light PA increased (p < 0.001), and with mothers’ lower enjoyment, children’s SB increased (p = 0.010). Further, if mothers’ enjoyment decreased during the study, their own LPA increased (p = 0.049), and their children’s SB increased (p = 0.013). If mothers’ enjoyment remained stable, children’s light PA (p = 0.002) and Total PA (p = 0.034) increased. Conclusions: In this RCT, no differences were found between the intervention and control groups or groups based on mothers’ enjoyment, possibly due to the low power of the study. However, mothers’ enjoyment of exercise with their children increased within the intervention group, and mothers’ enjoyment influenced children’s SB and PA. For future studies, it would be essential to focus on children’s enjoyment and factors behind the behavior change.peerReviewe

The average proportion of MVPA, LPA, SS, and SB with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in the week 1, 2, and 8 in mothers who had a valid accelerometer measurement in all three weeks.

<p>The average proportion of MVPA, LPA, SS, and SB with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in the week 1, 2, and 8 in mothers who had a valid accelerometer measurement in all three weeks.</p

The average proportion of MVPA, LPA, SS, and SB with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in the week 1, 2, and 8 in children who had a valid accelerometer measurement in all three weeks.

<p>The average proportion of MVPA, LPA, SS, and SB with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in the week 1, 2, and 8 in children who had a valid accelerometer measurement in all three weeks.</p