Feasibility of student-designed, peer-led classroom physical activity breaks in graduate school

Abstract

Objective: We evaluated the feasibility of Pitt Moves, a classroom-based, peer-led physical activity break (PAB) intervention developed by graduate students to improve mood, focus, and boredom among students. Participants: One hundred and thirty-two graduate-level students in 10 courses during an academic semester. Methods: Process evaluation with a formative focus involving document review, surveys, and interviews with students and facilitators. Results: Eighty-four percent of eligible students participated in ≥1 of 65 PABs. Participants said Pitt Moves provided a mental break, promoted community building, and increased their physical activity. They recommended increasing accessibility. Organizers’ time was a constraint in running this program. Conclusion: Pitt Moves was feasible based on successful recruitment of participants, delivery of PABs as planned, and participant acceptability. A formal study should evaluate whether Pitt Moves can improve mood, focus, and boredom among graduate students. Organizational encouragement and audiovisuals could enhance marketing and program implementation.

Keywords:

• Exercise
• health promotion
• interventions
• sedentary behavior

Acknowledgments

Thanks to all PAB facilitators who are not authors, Audrey Semel, Curtis Tilves, Casey Madden, Regina Brecker, and Elizabeth Schwartz.

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the United States. The University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) determined that Pitt Moves was evaluation and not research, needing no IRB review.

Data availability statement

Data available on request from the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by an internal grant from the University of Pittsburgh’s Provost Office, under the Year of Healthy U initiative, and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number 1 UB6HP31689-01-00 “Public Health Training Centers” for $3,699,596. This information or content and conclusions are those of the authors and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.