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Abstract

Purpose:

To examine the effects of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Mission-X: Train Like an Astronaut program (MX) on children’s health-related knowledge and behaviors of a sample of US participants.

Design:

A nonexperimental pilot intervention study in 5 cities with a pre–post comparison of children’s health-related knowledge and behaviors in the United States in 2014 and 2015.

Sample:

Children (n = 409) with a mean age (standard deviation) of 10.1 (1.7) years.

Measures:

Children answered pre- and postintervention questionnaires. We measured the differences in children’s health knowledge on nutrition and physical fitness and behaviors on diet and physical activity as scores.

Intervention:

A 6-week web- and school-based intervention for a healthier lifestyle by introducing physical fitness and science activities based on actual astronaut training under a teacher’s supervision.

Analysis:

Nonparametric analysis and logistic regression models.

Results:

Participants significantly improved both of their health behaviors on physical activity (P < .001) and diet (P = .06) and their health knowledge regarding nutrition (P < .001) and physical fitness (P < .001) after the intervention. The improvement in children’s behaviors (P < .001), knowledge (P < .001), and the total score (P < .001) after intervention did not significantly vary by sex or age, after adjusting for year of participation and state of residency.

Discussion:

The MX seems effective in improving health behaviors and health knowledge of participating children, which may serve as a model for sustainable global child health promotion program. Further research is needed to test its long-term effects on child health.

Keywords

intervention childhood obesity physical activity nutrition knowledge

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An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Mission-X Child Health Promotion Program in the United States