Runar Barstad Solberg

• Malnes, Lena; Berntsen, Sveinung; Kolle, Elin; Ivarsson, Andreas; Dyrstad, Sindre Mikal & Resaland, Geir Kåre [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2023). School-based physical activity in relation to active travel – a cluster randomized controlled trial among adolescents enrolled in the school in motion study in Norway. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. ISSN 1479-5868. 20(1). doi: 10.1186/s12966-023-01534-x. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background Active travel and school settings are considered ideal for promoting physical activity. However, previous research suggests limited effect of school-based interventions on overall physical activity levels among adolescents. The relationship between physical activity in different domains remains inconclusive. In this study, we examined the effects of adding two weekly hours of school-based physical activity on active travel rates. Method We analyzed data from 1370 pupils in the 9th-grade participating in the cluster RCT; the School In Motion (ScIM) project. Intervention schools (n = 19) implemented 120 min of class-scheduled physical activity and physical education, in addition to the normal 2 hours of weekly physical education in the control schools (n = 9), for 9 months. Active travel was defined as pupils who reported walking or cycling to school, while motorized travel was defined as pupils who commuted by bus or car, during the spring/summer half of the year (April–September), or autumn/winter (October–February). The participants were categorized based on their travel mode from pretest to posttest as; maintained active or motorized travel (“No change”), changing to active travel (motorized-active), or changing to motorized travel (active-motorized). Multilevel logistic regression was used to analyze the intervention effect on travel mode. Results During the intervention period, most participants maintained their travel habits. In total, 91% of pupils maintained their travel mode to school. Only 6% of pupils switched to motorized travel and 3% switched to active travel, with small variations according to season and trip direction. The intervention did not seem to influence the likelihood of changing travel mode. The odds ratios for changing travel habits in spring/summer season were from active to motorized travel 1.19 [95%CI: 0.53–2.15] and changing from motorized to active travel 1.18 [0.30–2.62], compared to the “No change” group. These findings were consistent to and from school, and for the autumn/winter season. Conclusion The extra school-based physical activity does not seem to affect rates of active travel among adolescents in the ScIM project.

• Leibinger, Eva; Åvitsland, Andreas; Resaland, Geir Kåre; Solberg, Runar Barstad; Kolle, Elin & Dyrstad, Sindre Mikal (2022). Relationship between health-related quality of life and physical fitness in Norwegian adolescents. Quality of Life Research. ISSN 0962-9343. doi: 10.1007/s11136-022-03309-6. Full text in Research Archive
• Solberg, Runar Barstad; Steene-Johannessen, Jostein; Fagerland, Morten; Anderssen, Sigmund Alfred; Berntsen, Sveinung & Resaland, Geir Kåre [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2021). Aerobic fitness mediates the intervention effects of a school-based physical activity intervention on academic performance. The school in Motion study – A cluster randomized controlled trial. Preventive Medicine Reports. ISSN 2211-3355. 24. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2021.101648. Full text in Research Archive
• Solberg, Runar Barstad; Steene-Johannessen, Jostein; Anderssen, Sigmund Alfred; Ekelund, Ulf; Säfvenbom, Reidar & Haugen, Tommy [Show all 11 contributors for this article] (2021). Effects of a school-based physical activity intervention on academic performance in 14-year old adolescents: a cluster randomized controlled trial – the School in Motion study. BMC Public Health. ISSN 1471-2458. 21. doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-10901-x. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background: School-based physical activity interventions evaluating the effect on academic performance usually includes children. We aimed to investigate the effect of a nine-month, school-based physical activity intervention titled School in Motion (ScIM) on academic performance in adolescents. Methods: Thirty secondary schools in Norway were cluster-randomized into three groups: the Physically active learning (PAL) group (n = 10), the Don’t worry – Be Happy (DWBH) group (n = 10) or control (n = 10). Target dose in both intervention groups was 120 min/week of additional PA during school hours. Parental consent was obtained from 2084 adolescent students (76%). Standardized national tests in reading and numeracy was conducted at baseline and at the end of the intervention. We used linear mixed model to test intervention effects. We found significant intervention effects in numeracy and reading among students in both interventions when compared with controls. Results: The mean difference in change in numeracy was 1.7 (95% CI: 0.9 to 2.5; Cohen’s d = 0.12) and 2.0 (95% CI: 1.4 to 2.7; Cohen’s d = 0.23) points in favour of students in the PAL and DWBH intervention, respectively. Similar results were found for reading, where the mean difference in change was 0.9 (95% CI 0.2 to 1.6; Cohen’s d = 0.06) and 1.1 (95% CI 0.3 to 1.9; Cohen’s d = 0.18) points in favour of students in the PAL and DWBH intervention, respectively. When conducting intention to treat analysis with imputed data the estimates were attenuated and some no longer significant. Conclusion: The ScIM study demonstrates that two different school-based PA interventions providing approximately 120 min of additional PA weekly over nine months, significantly improved numeracy and reading performance in 14-year old students compared with controls. However, the results should be interpreted with caution as the effect sizes reported were very small or small and the estimates were attenuated when conducting intention to treat analysis. Despite this, our results are still positive and suggest that PA interventions are viable models to increase academic performance among adolescents.

• Haakstad, Lene Annette Hagen; Jakobsen, Charlotte; Solberg, Runar Barstad; Sundgot-Borgen, Christine & Gjestvang, Christina (2021). Mirror, mirror - Does the fitness club industry have a body image problem? Psychology of Sport And Exercise. ISSN 1469-0292. 53. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2020.101880. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The primary aim of the present study was to report longitudinal data on body image across the first year of gym engagement. Second, we aimed to compare body image among those who reported regular use of the fitness club (≥2 sessions/week) with those who did not (≤1exercise session/week or no exercise/dropout), as well as between genders and Body Mass Index groups (BMI<25 and BMI≥25) at membership start-up. Novice exercisers (n = 250) from 25 fitness clubs in Oslo (Norway) responded to an online questionnaire at start-up, three, six and 12-months follow-up, with a high response rate (100%, 89.6%, 85.2% and 74.8%). The questionnaire covered background/health information and exercise involvement. A modified Multidimensional Body Self Relations Questionnaire Appearance Scales (MBSRQ-AS), comprising five subscales (appearance satisfaction, appearance investment, weight-related attitude, self-classified weight and Body Areas Satisfaction Scale (BASS), was used to gather repeated measures of body image. Data were analysed separately for each subscale and as a body image total score, using a linear mixed model adjusted for baseline, gender and BMI. We found differences in body image total score reported at six months when compared with onset (0.04, 95% CI 0.005–0.078, p = 0.024), whereas the subscale appearance satisfaction was different at three (0.08, 95% CI 0.015–0.164, p = 0.018), six (0.11, 95% CI 0.039–0.197, p = 0.003) and twelve (0.10, 95% CI 0.021–0.179, p = 0.013) months when compared with onset. Also the subscale BASS was different at three (0.17, 95% CI 0.009–0.255, p < 0.001), six (0.21, 95% CI 0.127–0.301, p < 0.001) and twelve (0.26, 95% CI 0.143–0.388, p < 0.001). Participants adhering to regular exercise (≥2 times weekly) had better outcomes on total body image than those who exercised less frequently or irregularly (three: 2.94 vs. 2.83, p = 0.027 and 12-months: 2.97 vs. 2.85, p = 0.028). At membership start-up, being male (p < 0.001) and having a BMI<25 (p = 0.003), were the strongest factors associated with reporting a higher score on total body image. In conclusion, we found improved body area and appearance satisfaction in novice exercisers across the first year of fitness club membership.

• Kolle, Elin; Solberg, Runar Barstad; Säfvenbom, Reidar; Dyrstad, Sindre Mikal; Berntsen, Sveinung & Resaland, Geir Kåre [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2020). The effect of a school-based intervention on physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength: the School in Motion cluster randomized trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. ISSN 1479-5868. 17. doi: 10.1186/s12966-020-01060-0. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background: Physical activity (PA) declines throughout adolescence, therefore PA promotion during this period is important. We analyzed the effect of two school-based PA interventions on daily PA levels, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and muscle strength among adolescents. Methods: For the nine-month School in Motion intervention study (ScIM), we cluster-randomized 30 Norwegian secondary schools (N = 2084, mean age [SD] = 14 [0.3] years) to one of three study arms. The physically active learning (PAL) intervention included 30 min physically active learning, 30 min PA and a 60 min physical education (PE) lesson per week. The Don’t worry-Be happy (DWBH) intervention included a 60 min PA lesson and a 60 min PE lesson per week, both tailored to promote friendships and wellbeing. Both intervention arms were designed to engage the adolescents in 120 min of PA per week in addition to recess and mandatory PE lessons. The control group continued as per usual, including the standard amount of mandatory PE. PA (main outcome) was assessed by accelerometers, CRF and muscle strength (secondary outcomes) were assessed by an intermittent running test and selected tests from the Eurofit test battery. Results: Daily PA and time spent in moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA) decreased in all groups throughout the intervention. The mean difference in PA level and MVPA for participants in the PAL-intervention arm was 34.7 cpm (95% CI: 4.1, 65.3) and 4.7 min/day (95% CI: 0.6, 8.8) higher, respectively, compared to the control arm. There were no significant intervention effects on daily PA level, MVPA or time spent sedentary for adolescents in the DWBH-intervention arm. Adolescents in the PAL-intervention arm increased distance covered in the running test compared to controls (19.8 m, 95% CI: 10.4, 29.1), whilst a negative intervention effect was observed among adolescents in the DWBH-intervention arm (− 11.6 m, 95% CI: − 22.0, − 1.1). Conclusion: The PAL-intervention resulted in a significantly smaller decrease in daily PA level, time spent in MVPA, and increased CRF compared to controls. Our results indicate that a teacher-led intervention, including three unique intervention components, is effective in curbing the decline in PA observed across our cohort and improving CRF.

• Åvitsland, Andreas; Leibinger, Eva; Resaland, Geir Kåre; Solberg, Runar Barstad; Kolle, Elin & Dyrstad, Sindre Mikal (2020). Effects of school-based physical activity interventions on mental health in adolescents: The School in Motion cluster randomized controlled trial. Mental Health and Physical Activity. ISSN 1755-2966. 19, p. 1–10. doi: 10.1016/j.mhpa.2020.100348. Full text in Research Archive
• Åvitsland, Andreas; Leibinger, Eva; Haugen, Tommy; Lerum, Øystein; Solberg, Runar Barstad & Kolle, Elin [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2020). The association between physical fitness and mental health in Norwegian adolescents. BMC Public Health. ISSN 1471-2458. 20. doi: 10.1186/s12889-020-08936-7. Full text in Research Archive

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• Leibinger, Eva; Åvitsland, Andreas; Resaland, Geir Kåre; Solberg, Runar Barstad; Kolle, Elin & Dyrstad, Sindre Mikal (2019). Relationship between health-related quality of life, cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular fitness in adolescents​.
• Åvitsland, Andreas; Dyrstad, Sindre Mikal; Lerum, Øystein; Leibinger, Eva; Solberg, Runar Barstad & Kolle, Elin [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2019). Physical fitness and mental health in adolescents - What we know, and what we don't.
• Åvitsland, Andreas; Säfvenbom, Reidar; Tjomsland, Hege Eikeland; Kolle, Elin; Resaland, Geir Kåre & Berntsen, Sveinung [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2019). A new approach to school time physical activity: The "Don't worry, be happy" intervention model.
• Åvitsland, Andreas; Leibinger, Eva; Lerum, Øystein; Malnes, Lena; Solberg, Runar Barstad & Dyrstad, Sindre Mikal (2018). Sammenhengen mellom fysisk form og psykisk helse hos norske 13-14-åringer.
• Bjørbæk, Mona; Elgersma, Ingeborg Hess; Julin, Cathinka Halle; Elstrøm, Petter; Flottorp, Signe Agnes & Fretheim, Atle [Show all 18 contributors for this article] (2024). Centre for Epidemic Interventions Research (CEIR) Annual Report 2023. Folkehelseinstituttet. Senter for forskning på epidemitiltak. Show summary

  Research to inform decisions about public health and social measures in epidemics, and to reduce the harm of misinformation.

• Fagernes, Mette; Eriksen-Volle, Hanne-Merete; Holst, Christine; Rose, Christopher James; Solberg, Runar Barstad & Elstrøm, Petter (2023). Study protocol: Evaluation of the National tool for observation of infection prevention measures in the healthcare (NOST) – a cluster randomized trial. Zenodo.
• Kolle, Elin; Steene-Johannessen, Jostein; Säfvenbom, Reidar; Anderssen, Sigmund Alfred; Grydeland, May & Ekelund, Ulf [Show all 17 contributors for this article] (2019). Hovedrapport: School in motion. Utdanningsdirektoratet.

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