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Cohort profile of the GOALS study: A large‐scale research of physical activity in D utch students
Author(s) -
Groot Renate H.M.,
Dijk Martin L.,
Kirschner Paul A.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
british journal of educational technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.79
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1467-8535
pISSN - 0007-1013
DOI - 10.1111/bjet.12284
Subject(s) - mood , psychology , cohort , body mass index , physical activity , scale (ratio) , ethnic group , test (biology) , clinical psychology , medicine , physical therapy , sociology , geography , cartography , pathology , anthropology , paleontology , biology
Abstract The GOALS study ( G rootschalig O nderzoek naar A ctiviteiten van L imburgse S cholieren [ L arge‐scale R esearch of A ctivities in D utch S tudents]) was set up to investigate possible associations between different forms of physical activity and inactivity with cognitive performance, academic achievement and mental well‐being. It was conducted at a secondary school in the south of the N etherlands. Data collection took place during normal school weeks from O ctober 2011 to M arch 2012, and 1 year later from O ctober 2012 to M ay 2013. The study was approved by the local E thical C ommittee of the O pen U niversity of the N etherlands. All students in grades 7 and 9 of senior general secondary education and university preparatory education were invited to participate ( n = 526). At baseline, a sample of 440 D utch‐speaking adolescents was willing to participate (83.7%). Of these, 344 participated in the follow‐up. Physical activity was measured objectively by an A ctiv P al3 TM accelerometer (Paltechnologies, Glasgow, UK). Cognitive performance was measured by the d2 Test of Attention and the S ymbol D igit M odalities T est. Academic achievement was determined using the mean of school grades in D utch, E nglish and M athematics. Several well‐validated instruments were used to determine mood/depressive symptoms, self‐esteem and goal orientation. Information on several covariates such as sex, academic year, school level, ethnicity, socio‐economic status, body mass index, pubertal status, smoking, drinking, viewing television, computer use, etc., are available.