Effects of a School-Based Physical Activity Intervention on 24-Hour Movement Behaviours and Motor Development in Preschool Children - Study Protocol

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

SuperQuinas in Preschool Programme: One additional 60-minute structured physical activity session delivered once per week for 12 consecutive weeks during regular school hours by the principal investigator, a qualified exercise professional. Sessions follow a standardised three-phase structure: a warm-up of exploratory movement and dynamic play, a central phase of structured motor tasks targeting locomotor, object control, and stability skills with progressive task complexity and embedded inhibitory control demands, and a cool-down with low-intensity movement and guided reflection. Each session includes informal age-appropriate health messages addressing physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep routines. The intervention is added to existing curricular Physical Education and does not replace it. Fidelity is monitored through structured session checklists completed after each session.

Study summary

This protocol describes a quasi-experimental controlled study evaluating the effects of the Super Quinas in Preschool programme on 24-hour movement behaviours and motor development in preschool children aged 3-6 years. The intervention consists of one additional structured 60-minute physical activity session per week for 12 weeks, delivered by a qualified exercise professional in a public preschool in Maia, Portugal. Four classes (\~80 children) are allocated at the class level: two to the intervention condition and two to the control condition (usual curricular Physical Education). Baseline data collection (T0) was conducted between 4 and 18 March 2026; the intervention commenced on 25 March 2026. Subsequent assessments are planned for early May (T1, mid-intervention), end of June (T2, post-intervention), and mid-September 2026 (T3, follow-up). Primary outcomes are 24-hour movement behaviours (ActiGraph GT3X accelerometry) and motor competence and physical fitness (Motor Competence Assessment + PREFIT subtests). Secondary outcomes include executive function (HTKS; Day-Night Stroop) and socioemotional regulation (SDQ). Statistical analyses will use longitudinal linear mixed-effects models under an intention-to-treat framework.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• 24-Hour Movement Behaviours — Assessed at four time points: baseline (T0, Week 0), mid-intervention (T1, Week 6), post-intervention (T2, Week 12), and follow-up (T3, Week 24).
  24-hour movement behaviours are assessed objectively using two simultaneously worn triaxial accelerometers (ActiGraph GT3X) over seven consecutive days at each time point. DEVICE 1: Non-dominant wrist (worn continuously for 24 hours). One ActiGraph GT3X is worn on the non-dominant wrist throughout the entire 24-hour period, including during sleep. This device captures the full movement profile across waking and sleeping hours. Wrist-worn data are used to estimate sleep outcomes via validated automated sleep-detection algorithms applied within the parent-reported time-in-bed window, yielding estimates of sleep onset, sleep offset, total sleep duration, and sleep efficiency. DEVICE 2: Right hip (worn during waking hours only). A second ActiGraph GT3X is worn on the right hip using an elastic belt during all waking hours. The device is removed before sleep. Raw data are collected at 30 Hz, aggregated into 15-second epochs, and processed using age-appropriate cut-points validat
• Motor Competence and Physical Fitness — Assessed at four time points: baseline (T0, Week 0), mid-intervention (T1, Week 6), post-intervention (T2, Week 12), and follow-up (T3, Week 24).
  Motor competence is assessed using the Motor Competence Assessment (MCA), a validated performance-based battery comprising six tasks organised into three subdomains: Stability (lateral jumps and shifting platforms), Locomotor (standing long jump and shuttle run), and Manipulative (ball throwing and ball kicking). Each child completes practice trials followed by two recorded trials per task; the best performance is retained. Raw scores are converted into age- and sex-adjusted standard scores using normative reference values, enabling derivation of domain-specific scores and an overall motor competence composite score. Physical fitness is assessed using two subtests from the PREFIT battery. Cardiorespiratory fitness is assessed using the 20-metre shuttle run test adapted for preschool children, with performance recorded as total laps completed. Upper-limb muscular strength is assessed using a child-adapted handgrip dynamoter.

Trial sites (1)

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