Zan Gao, Ph.D., associate professor in the School of Kinesiology and Director of the Physical Activity Epidemiology Lab, recently published two papers with his students in the Journal of Physical Activity & Health.

The first paper, “Effect of SPARK on students’ physical activity, motivation and cardiovascular fitness in physical education” examines the effect of a 9-week SPARK program on physical activity, cardiorespiratory endurance (Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run), and motivation in middle-school students. The researchers found that, following the intervention, SPARK displayed greater increases on physical activity and motivation measures in younger students compared with the Traditional program. The first author, You Fu, is Dr. Gao’s previous PhD student and currently Assistant Professor at the University of Nevada at Reno.

The second paper, “Young children’s energy expenditure and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on weekdays and weekends” was funded by NIH with June Lee serving as the first author. This study explores children’s estimated energy expenditure rates and time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in three-time segments: at-school, after-school, and weekends. It was found that children’s energy expenditure rate and minutes in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day were higher during after school and weekends than at school. Yet, children’s moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during weekdays and weekends still fell far short of the recommended level of 60 minutes/day.