What were the characteristics of the Switch project students?

1. The students in the project were representative of national averages for weight and BMI (body mass index).
2. The student sample showed that there was significant room for improvement in screen time, physical activity and weight in both communities.
3. Screen time and physical activity (as measured by pedometer) are correlated with and are significant predictors of BMI. Each one is an independent risk factor for overweight.

Preliminary results from the Switch research show:

Overall

1. Screen time is a significant factor in the obesity epidemic.
2. Screen time and physical activity are correlated with and are significant predictors of BMI.
3. Seventy-four percent of participants felt the program had a positive effect on the family.
4. Seventy-nine percent of participants wanted to continue to the program.
5. School-based, community-wide solution built knowledge and awareness of key areas: "chewing, viewing and doing."

1. Engaged kids saw a decrease in screen time.

1. Thirty-four percent of parents said physical activity increased.
2. Sixty percent of children said physical activity increased.

Fruits

1. Forty-four percent of parents said fruit consumption increased.
2. Forty-eight percent of children said fruit consumption increased.

1. Thirty-eight percent of parents said vegetable consumption increased.
2. Thirty-seven percent of children said vegetable consumption increased.

Did Switch change children's behavior who participated in the program?

1. Both children and parents reported reduced screen time, increased fruits and vegetable consumption, and increased physical activity in the post intervention surveys.
2. The specific measures for screen time, physical activity and fruits/vegetables showed that children who were highly engaged in the program showed significant improvement. The more kids were involved the more positive the changes.
3. Children who were most at risk and highly engaged had positive changes in all three behaviors.

Preliminary Switch Research Findings
JC Eisenmann, K Laurson, EE Wickel, D Gentile, D Walsh. The utility of current pedometer step recommendations for predicting overweight in children. International Journal of Obesity (in press)

Poster presentation
K Laurson, JC Eisenmann EE Wickel, D Gentile, D Walsh. Prevalence of pedometer-determined physical activity and the utility of current pedometer step recommendations for predicting overweight in children. 2007 American College of Sports Medicine meeting

Gentile, D. A., Eisenmann, J. C., Walsh, D. A., Callahan, R. Violent TV and video game exposure as risk factors for aggressive behavior among elementary school children. International Society for Research in Aggression conference, July 2006, MPLS.

JC Eisenmann, D Walsh, DA Gentile, S Strickland, M Walsh, K Fritz, R Callahan, A Dahlquist, L Swanson, J McGillicuddy, H Garwood, J Patterson, K Laurson, EE Wickel. Switch™ - active lifestyles from MediaWise®: baseline results for physical activity and BMI. International Congress on Physical Activity and Health, Centers for Disease Control, April 17-20, 2006.

Research Team

David Walsh, Ph.D. - Lead Investigator, National Institute on Media and the Family

Douglas Gentile, Ph.D. - Iowa State University

Joseph Eisenmann, Ph.D. - Iowa State University

Mary Story, Ph.D. - University of Minnesota

Randi Callahan Randi J. Callahan, MPH, Switch Project Manager

Kelly Larson - Iowa State University

Background Research
Combined Influence of Physical Activity and Screen Time Recommendations on Childhood Overweight - (PDF) More...
A recent evidence analysis conducted by the American Dietetics Association identified physical activity levels and amount
of screen time (i.e., television [TV] watching and video game [VG] playing) as predisposing factors for obesity.

Utility of pedometer step recommendations for predicting overweight in children - (PDF) More...
The pedometer has become a popular physical activity assessment tool. Recently, two recommendations for the number of steps per day were suggested for children.

Evaluation of youth pedometer-determined physical activity guidelines using receiver operator characteristic curves - (PDF) More...
The pedometer has become a popular physical activity assessment tool since it provides an inexpensive way to objectively measure the volume of physical activity.

SWITCH: rationale, design, and implementation of a community, school, and family-based intervention to modify behaviors related to childhood obesity - (PDF) More...
The relatively high prevalence and secular increase in pediatric obesity among children and adolescents in the United States over the past few decades are well-known.

Andersen, R.E., Crespo, C.J., Bartlet, S.J., , Cheskin, L.J., & Pratt, M. 1998. Relationship of physical activity and television watching with body weight and level of fatness among children. Journal of the American Medical Association 1998; 279: 938-942.

Dietz WH, Gortmaker SL. Do we fatten our children at the television set? Obesity and television viewing in children and adolescents. Pediatrics 1985;75:807-812.

Eisenmann, J.C., Bartee, R.T., Wang, M.Q. Physical activity, TV viewing and weight in U.S. youth: 1999 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Obesity Research 2002; 10(5): 379-385

Fruit and vegetable - www.adaevidencelibrary.com/topic.cfm?cat=1054

Lin BH, Morrison RM. Higher fruit consumption linked with lower body mass index. Food Review, 2002;25:28-32.

Physical activity - www.adaevidencelibrary.com/topic.cfm?cat=1111

TV -- www.adaevidencelibrary.com/topic.cfm?cat=1109