Efficacy of the Athletes for Life Program to Promote Cardiovascular Health (AFL)

Community-Academic Partnership to Promote Cardiovascular Health Among Underserved Children and Families

The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of a fitness- and behavioral-focused intervention, Athletes for Life (AFL), to improve cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) among 160 underserved families.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Physical Activity; Cardiovascular Fitness
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: AFL Intervention; Behavioral: Wait-List Control

Detailed Description

The Athletes for Life (AFL) study was a 12-week randomized controlled trial designed to promote cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and healthy lifestyle changes among parents and children. The original enrollment target was 160 families. A total of 149 parent-child dyads living in a Southwestern U.S. metropolitan area were enrolled in the study. AFL consisting of 24 structured, twice-weekly 90-min family-based, nutrition and sport/fitness-oriented sessions, and was delivered in a municipal recreation center. Behavior change, including increased physical activity, and adherence were motivated through positive reinforcement techniques. Families were randomized to either the AFL program or a wait-list control group.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 149
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • California
    • San Diego, California, United States, 92123
      • Institute for Behavioral and Community Health

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 6 years to 11 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Parent ages 18 years and over
• Child ages 6-11 years

Exclusion Criteria:

• Presence of a mental or physical condition that was contraindicated to participating in sports/exercise
• Having a chronic condition that limited mobility
• Taking medications that influenced body composition

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: AFL Intervention Group; The AFL intervention consisted of twice a week physical activity and nutrition sessions for children and twice a week educational and physical activity sessions for parents. Each session lasted 90 minutes and all sessions were conducted in a municipal recreation center. The child program was delivered in English while the parent program was delivered in separate English-only or Spanish-only classes.	Behavioral: AFL Intervention; The AFL intervention consisted of two 90-minute sessions per week for 12 months for both children and parents. The child physical activity sessions, held separately from the parent sessions, aimed to achieve 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during each session through structured play activities, athletic drills, and sport exercises. Child dietary behaviors were taught through educational activities in small groups. For the parent program, behavior modification techniques were used to guide parents toward changing their own and their child's behavior. Take-home materials for self-monitoring of behaviors were used for both the child and the parent in order to reinforce concepts discussed in class.
Other: Wait-List Control Group; The wait-list control group received the 12-week AFL intervention after all follow-up data had been completed.	Behavioral: Wait-List Control; Families that were randomly assigned to the wait-list control group were asked not to change their normal physical activity or dietary behaviors for the duration of the 12-week waiting period. They were asked to participate in the baseline and 12-week evaluations and then they were enrolled to receive the 12-week intervention.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in cardiovascular fitness (total seconds)	Child and adult cardiovascular fitness was assessed using a 1-mile run/walk test	0, 12, and 24 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in insulin concentration (uIU/mL)	Child and adult insulin concentrations were measured via lipid panels and analyzed using Cobas automated analyzer.	0 and 12 weeks
Change in glucose concentration (mg/dL)	Child and adult glucose concentrations (plasma values) were measured via lipid panels and analyzed using Cobas automated analyzer.	0 and 12 weeks
Change in triglyceride concentrations (mg/dL)	Child and adult triglyceride concentrations were measured via lipid panels and analyzed using Cobas automated analyzer.	0 and 12 weeks
Change in total low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (mg/dL)	Child and adult LDL cholesterol values were measured via lipid panels and analyzed using Cobas automated analyzer.	0 and 12 weeks
Change in total high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (mg/dL)	Child and adult HDL cholesterol values were measured via lipid panels and analyzed using Cobas automated analyzer.	0 and 12 weeks
Change in average systolic blood pressure (mmHg)	Child and adult systolic blood pressure was measured by an automated pressure cuff.	0, 12, and 24 weeks
Change in average diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)	Child and adult diastolic blood pressure was measured by an automated pressure cuff.	0, 12, and 24 weeks
Change in total percent body fat (%)	Child and adult percent body fat was measured via whole body Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to assess body composition.	0, 12, and 24 weeks
Change in total abdominal fat mass (g)	Child and adult abdominal fat mass was measured via whole body Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to assess body composition.	0, 12, and 24 weeks
Change in total trunk percent fat (%)	Child and adult trunk percent fat was measured via whole body Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to assess body composition.	0, 12, and 24 weeks
Change in waist circumference (inches)	Child and adult waist circumference was measured via a tape measure.	0, 12, and 24 weeks
Change in Body Mass Index (BMI) (kg/m^2)	Child and adult BMI values were calculated using multiple measurements of height (cm) and weight (kg).	0, 12, and 24 weeks
Frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption (times per month)	Child consumption of fruit and vegetables within the past month was measured via parental report using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ).	0 and 12 weeks
Frequency of dairy food consumption (times per month)	Child consumption of dairy foods (i.e., cheese, milk and yogurt) within the past month was measured via parental report using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ).	0 and 12 weeks
Frequency of protein consumption (times per month)	Child protein consumption (i.e., meat, fish, eggs and beans) within the past month was measured via parental report using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ).	0 and 12 weeks
Frequency of drink consumption (times per month)	Child consumption of drinks other than milk and 100% fruit juice (i.e., water, soda, and flavored drinks) within the past month was measured via parental report using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ).	0 and 12 weeks
Frequency of fat and sugar consumption (times per month)	Child consumption of fats and sugars (e.g., butter, potato chips, pastries) within the past month was measured via parental report using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ).	0 and 12 weeks
Frequency of grain consumption (times per month)	Child consumption of grains (e.g., cereals, brown rice, pasta) within the past month was measured via parental report using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ).	0 and 12 weeks
Change in physical activity (minutes per day of MVPA)	Child and adult 7-day physical activity (i.e., sedentary, moderate/vigorous activity) was measured using GENEActiv accelerometers.	12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: San Diego State University
• Collaborators: Arizona State University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Noe C Crespo, PhD, San Diego State University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Szeszulski J, Vega-Lopez S, Todd M, Ray F, Behar A, Campbell M, Chavez A, Eckert R, Lorenzo-Quintero A, Hartmann Manrique L, Crespo NC. Athletes for life: Rationale and methodology of a community- and family-based randomized controlled trial to promote cardiovascular fitness among primarily Latino families. Contemp Clin Trials. 2020 Apr;91:105956. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2020.105956. Epub 2020 Feb 13.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 1, 2016
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 31, 2018
• Study Completion (Actual): June 30, 2018

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 28, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 29, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): December 3, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 13, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 9, 2025
• Last Verified: November 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Physical Activity; Obesity; Children; Adults; Cardiovascular fitness
• Other Study ID Numbers: 14SDG20490382

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No