Effect of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO)-based asthma management during pregnancy versus usual care on infant development, temperament, sensory function and autism signs.

Asthma during pregnancy is associated with a range of adverse perinatal outcomes. It is also linked to increased rates of neurodevelopmental conditions in the offspring. We aimed to assess whether fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO)-based asthma management during pregnancy improves child developmental and behavioural outcomes compared to usual care. The Breathing for Life Trial was a randomised controlled trial that compared FENO-based asthma management during pregnancy to usual care. Participants were invited to the developmental follow-up, the Breathing for Life Trial - Infant Development study, which followed up infants at 6 weeks, 6 months and 12 months. The primary outcomes were measured in infants at 12 months using the Bayley-III: Cognitive, Language and Motor composite scores. Secondary outcomes included Bayley-III social-emotional and adaptive behaviour scores, autism likelihood and sensory and temperament outcomes. The exposure of interest was the randomised intervention group. Two hundred and twenty-two infants and their 217 participating mothers were recruited to the follow-up; 107 mothers were in the intervention group and 113 were in the control group. There was no evidence of an intervention effect for the primary outcomes: Bayley-III cognitive (mean = 108.9 control, 108.5 intervention, p = 0.93), language (mean = 95.9 control, 95.6 intervention, p = 0.87) and motor composite scores (mean = 97.2 control, 97.9 intervention, p = 0.25). Mean scores for secondary outcomes were also similar among infants born to control and FENO group mothers, with few results reaching p < 0.05. CONCLUSION:  In this sample, FENO-guided asthma treatment during pregnancy did not improve infant developmental outcomes in the first year of life. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: ACTRN12613000202763. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Maternal asthma during pregnancy has been associated with increased rates of neurodevelopmental conditions in offspring, including intellectual disability and autism. WHAT IS NEW: • This is the first study to examine how managing asthma during pregnancy via a FENO-guided algorithm or usual care affects infant developmental and behavioural outcomes. While the results of the study showed no impact of the intervention, and therefore do not support the integration of FENO-based management of asthma in antenatal settings for optimal infant development, they do send a positive message about the implications of active asthma management during pregnancy on infant developmental outcomes.

Factors associated with the early emergence of atypical feeding behaviours in infants and young children: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Atypical feeding behaviours such as significantly limited food preferences, hypersensitivity to food textures or temperatures and pocketing food without swallowing are common concerns in child health. Current reports indicate an inter-relationship between early growth, feeding problems and developmental disorders, yet little is known about how these behaviours develop in early childhood. There is also a lack of consensus about clinical definitions for atypical feeding behaviours, diagnostic thresholds and the associated precursors. To date, there has been no synthesis of the extant literature about factors associated with the early onset of atypical feeding behaviours in young children. OBJECTIVE: This scoping review aimed to characterize the factors associated with the early emergence of atypical feeding behaviours in typically developing young children. METHODS: CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Scopus databases were searched. Studies published in the last 5 years were included if they examined factors associated with the development of atypical eating behaviours in infants and young children. Of the 2137 records obtained after the search strategy was applied, 202 full-text articles were retrieved for a more detailed examination and to ensure they met the inclusion criteria. This resulted in 54 studies being included in this scoping review. RESULTS: Of the 54 studies, three studies analysed precursors responsible for atypical feeding behaviours, and 51 studies discussed the factors associated with the early emergence of feeding difficulties. Multiple factors, including genetic factors, breastfeeding, late introduction of solids and lumpy foods, complementary feeding techniques, parental mental health, prematurity and child factors including temperament, were identified. There is inconsistent evidence for the associations between breastfeeding exposure and feeding difficulties. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified multiple factors potentially associated with the early onset of atypical feeding behaviours in young children; however, there is insufficient evidence at this time to support specific recommendations for early feeding practices in young children. More methodologically rigorous studies are needed to extend these findings.

Neurophysiological Correlates of Sensory-Based Phenotypes in ASD.

Children with autism spectrum disorder frequently present with atypical behavioral responses to sensory stimuli, as well as differences in autonomic nervous system (ANS) and neuroendocrine activity. However, no one consistent pattern appears to explain these differences within this heterogeneous population. To conceptualize more homogenous ASD subgroups, sensory-based subtypes have been explored. One subtyping mechanism groups children by sensory responsivity pattern in addition to sensory domain. Differences in nervous system responsivity to sensory input within this sensory-based subtyping scheme have not yet been investigated. This exploratory study used ANS indices (respiratory sinus arrhythmia [RSA], skin conductance level) and neuroendocrine (salivary cortisol) response to examine patterns differentiating these subtypes. Significant differences in RSA were found during baseline, and during tactile, tone and movement stimuli (p < 0.05). Subtype membership was predicted by RSA changes during auditory stimulation and recovery periods (p < 0.05). Results confirm that children with an adaptive sensory responsivity subtype differ from those children with sensory processing dysfunction, however, physiological variables did not distinguish between children with different patterns of sensory processing dysfunction.

Measurement of School Engagement in Elementary School Students: A Scoping Review.

IMPORTANCE: School engagement is the extent to which students commit to and participate in school activities, including internal thoughts, emotions, and observable behaviors. It is critical to children's academic outcomes and mental health. Occupational therapy practitioners support children at school to maintain mental well-being and meet their school outcomes. However, how occupational therapy practitioners should measure school engagement among elementary school students remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To identify and characterize how elementary school students' school engagement is currently measured. DATA SOURCES: PsycINFO, Eric, CINAHL, and A+ Education databases. Two reviewers screened titles and abstracts, and one reviewer completed full-text screening and data extraction using Excel. STUDY SELECTION: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guided this review. Studies published between 2015 and 2021 were included if full text was available, written in English, and used a measure designed for elementary school-age students. Studies were excluded if they used no school engagement measurement; used only infant, adolescent, or adult scales; were not available for review; and did not meet the inclusion criteria. FINDINGS: The review included 125 studies. A range of self-report, observational, teacher-report, and caregiver-report measures of school engagement were identified. Behavioral school engagement was most commonly measured. Included studies were primarily published in education and psychology fields, with none published in occupational therapy journals. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: A range of school engagement measurements can be found in the literature, but no consensus exists on a validated school engagement measurement for occupational therapy practice. What This Article Adds: This review provides occupational therapy practitioners with a comprehensive understanding of (1) the importance of school engagement to mental health and (2) the range of behavioral, cognitive, and emotional engagement measures currently available for use with elementary school-age children, thereby enhancing the profession's knowledge and scope of practice in school engagement.

Measurement of Self-regulation in Preschool and Elementary Children: A Scoping Review.

AIMS: This scoping review sought to identify and characterize measurement of self-regulation in preschool and elementary aged children. METHODS: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-Scoping Review (ScR) guidelines were applied. Databases from the fields of allied health, education, medicine, and social sciences were searched including: CINAHL, Education Database (ProQuest), Education Research Complete, EMBASE, ERIC, iNFORMIT Combined, Medline, PsychINFO, Social Sciences (ProQuest), Teacher Reference Center, and Web of Science. Articles published between 2015 and 2020 were included. Dual review was utilized at all stages and a third reviewer resolved any conflicts. RESULTS: Sixty-seven studies were included in this review. A range of observational, self-report, teacher report, caregiver report, and observational measures of self-regulation were identified. Included studies were primarily published in education and psychology disciplines, with no studies by occupational therapists identified. CONCLUSIONS: Although a range of measures were identified in this scoping review, the results highlight the lack of consensus regarding self-regulation measurement that occupational therapists use to design and implement therapy programs to address child emotional and behavioral needs.

Parenting stress in mothers with asthma during the postpartum period.

OBJECTIVE: Maternal asthma often complicates pregnancy and is linked with poorer quality of life. Additionally, individuals with asthma are at an increased risk of depression and anxiety. We examined whether asthma during pregnancy is related to parenting stress in the first year postpartum and if this relationship varies with level of asthma control. METHODS: This cohort survey-based study included mothers with (n = 157) and without (n = 79) asthma. Mothers with asthma participated in this study following participation in a randomized controlled trial of a novel asthma management strategy during pregnancy. Mothers completed the Parenting Stress Index - Short Form during the first 12 months postpartum. Mothers with asthma also completed the Asthma Control Questionnaire. RESULTS: Parenting stress did not differ between mothers with and without asthma. Additionally, for mothers with asthma, there were no differences in levels of parenting stress based on asthma control. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that mothers with asthma are not at an increased risk for excessive parenting stress. However, due to response and sampling bias, levels of parenting stress in asthmatic mothers may be underreported in our sample.

Handwriting Readiness among Digital Native Kindergarten Students.

Aims: Handwriting is an essential life skill, impacted by proficiency in visual-motor integration and fine motor control. The increase in the use of digital technology has changed the way children interact with their environments, and potentially, the development of the important requisite skills for handwriting. This study examined the "handwriting readiness" skills of children born in the digital age.Methods: 219 children in their first year of formal schooling (mean age = 5 years, 10 months), completed the Beery Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration (Beery-VMI) and the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition (BOT-2) Short Form to assess visual motor integration, overall motor proficiency, and fine motor proficiency. Pencil grasp was also observed. Data analysis consisted of descriptive statistics and comparison to established normative data using summary t-tests.Results: Participants met the expected performance level on the Beery-VMI and the manual dexterity subtest of the BOT-2. However, overall motor proficiency on the BOT-2 for our sample was lower than published normative data. Further, 60.3% of participants used static pencil grasps.Conclusions: The findings prompt us to question the potential contribution of digital technology to changes in motor performance among children in the digital age.

Practitioner Review: Effective management of functional difficulties associated with sensory symptoms in children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Sensory symptoms are defined as atypical behavioral responses to daily sensory stimuli that impact on the performance of everyday routines. Sensory symptoms have been observed in young people with and without developmental concerns. There is uncertainty, however, regarding the best way to identify and manage sensory symptoms. The aim of this paper is  to provide a review of current best evidence regarding measurement of and interventions for sensory symptoms. METHODS: A narrative review methodology is adopted to address the aims of this paper. First, sensory symptoms are defined, and then, an overview of the evidence for the relationship between sensory symptoms and childhood function is provided. Second, commonly used sensory assessment tools are summarized and evaluated. Finally, an overview and critique of the evidence for sensory and nonsensory-based interventions addressing sensory symptoms are given. RESULTS: The terminology used to describe sensory symptoms varies by discipline, and several conceptual taxonomies including sensory subtypes have been proposed. There is ample evidence to support the association of sensory symptoms with childhood function including social engagement, repetitive behaviors, anxiety, and participation in self-care routines. Measurement of sensory symptoms is dominated by proxy-report instruments, and few single instruments assess the entire domain of sensory symptomatology. The evidence for interventions for sensory symptoms is emerging but still limited by low quantity and methodological concerns. CONCLUSIONS: Effective management of sensory symptoms may mitigate the burden of neurodevelopmental disability and mental illness in young people. Identification of sensory symptoms should be conducted by a skilled practitioner utilizing multiple measurement methods. Intervention protocols for sensory symptoms should be informed by current best evidence which is strongest for Ayres Sensory Integration® , Qigong massage, the Alert Program® , and Social Stories. To make significant progress in this field, however, new intervention studies must address the question of 'what intervention works for whom?'.

Observational study of mental health in asthmatic women during the prenatal and postnatal periods.

Objective: We aimed to examine the prevalence and severity of psychological distress of women with asthma in both the prenatal and postnatal periods, and to determine whether asthmatic women with and without mental health problems differ in self-management, medications knowledge, and asthma symptoms.Methods: We assessed spirometry performance and asthma symptoms in 120 women (mean age 29.8 years) before 23 weeks gestation, as part of the Breathing for Life Trial (Trial ID: ACTRN12613000202763). Prenatal depression data was obtained from medical records. At 6 weeks postpartum, we assessed general health, self-reported asthma control, depression symptoms (with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale) and adaptive functioning (with the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment scales).Results: Twenty percent of our sample reported having a current mental health diagnosis, 14% reported currently receiving mental health care, while 47% reported having received mental health care in the past (and may/may not have received a diagnosis). The sample scored high on the Aggressive Behavior, Avoidant Personality, and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity scales. Poorer self-reported postnatal asthma control was strongly correlated with elevated somatic complaints, externalizing problems, antisocial personality problems, and greater withdrawal. Prenatal spirometry or asthma severity and control were largely not associated with measures of psychopathology.Conclusions: These findings indicate that pregnant women with asthma frequently report issues with psychopathology during the prenatal and postnatal periods, and that the subjective perception of asthma control may be more related to psychopathology than objective asthma measures. However, due to sample bias, these findings are likely to be understated.

The effects of maternal asthma during pregnancy on child cognitive and behavioral development: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Maternal asthma during pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of negative perinatal outcomes. However, little is known about the direct effects of maternal asthma on infant cognitive development. We examined the evidence for an impact of maternal asthma during pregnancy on cognitive and behavioral development of the child. DATA SOURCES: We conducted a MEDLINE, PsychINFO, and manual search of the databases for all available studies until January 9th, 2018. STUDY SELECTIONS: Studies were deemed relevant if they included child cognitive and behavioral development as the outcome, with maternal asthma as the determinant of interest. RESULTS: Ten articles matched selection criteria. Some studies report that maternal asthma is associated with increased risk for autism and intellectual disability in children. However, these effects are small and are often eliminated when controlling for confounding variables. Other studies have found no association. The only prospective study found that well-managed asthma during pregnancy was not associated with negative developmental outcomes in children. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence suggests that the relationship between maternal asthma during pregnancy and poor developmental and behavioral outcomes of children is weak. Children of mothers with well-managed asthma during pregnancy have similar developmental trajectories to those born to healthy mothers. Prospective, longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these conclusions. Optimal asthma management is important in pregnancy as it may have longer term benefits for the health of the offspring. As the rate of asthma increases in the population, the implications of maternal asthma on child development will be of greater importance.

Sensory Integration Concerns in Children With Functional Defecation Disorders: A Scoping Review.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the literature to identify reports of sensory integration concerns in children with functional defecation issues and to explore whether difficulty processing sensation may be related to their challenging bowel management behaviors. METHOD: A scoping review was used to address the research question. We sourced articles from six databases in three languages, searched reference lists of all included articles, and identified additional articles through discussion with experts in the field. RESULTS: Twelve articles were included in the final synthesis, identifying 15 challenging behaviors potentially related to sensory integration concerns. CONCLUSION: We summarize research documenting sensory integration concerns in children with functional defecation issues, providing researchers and clinicians with an overview of the current state of understanding.

Sensory Features of Toddlers at Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder.

OBJECTIVE: We observed sensory features in toddlers ages 12-24 mo with risk factors for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and explored their relationship to general development and early signs of ASD. METHOD: Participants (N = 46) included toddlers with higher risk for ASD. All participants were administered standardized assessments of sensory features, early signs of ASD, and general development at a single study visit. RESULTS: Sensory features in toddlers were characterized as either adaptive or reactive. Toddlers with more difficulties in oral sensory processing displayed more early signs of ASD. Typical oral and auditory processing were associated with higher cognitive function, and toddlers with fewer sensory features overall had more mature language skills. CONCLUSION: Specific sensory features were associated with both early signs of ASD and less mature general development. Replication of this preliminary study is required.

Effectiveness of Interventions to Improve Social Participation, Play, Leisure, and Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors in People With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review.

People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly experience difficulties with social participation, play, and leisure along with restricted and repetitive behaviors that can interfere with occupational performance. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate current evidence for interventions within the occupational therapy scope of practice that address these difficulties. Strong evidence was found that social skills groups, the Picture Exchange Communication System, joint attention interventions, and parent-mediated strategies can improve social participation. The findings were less conclusive for interventions to improve play and leisure performance and to decrease restricted and repetitive behaviors, but several strategies showed promise with moderately strong supporting evidence. Occupational therapists should be guided by evidence when considering interventions to improve social participation, play, leisure, and restricted and repetitive behaviors in people with ASD. Additional research using more robust scientific methods is needed for many of the currently available strategies.

Measuring activity and participation in children and adolescents with disabilities: a literature review of available instruments.

BACKGROUND/AIM: This article aims to (1) identify instruments available to measure activity and participation in children with disabilities; (2) describe the reliability and validity of these instruments; and (3) consider whether the available instruments capture the extent of involvement, as well as the difficulty and satisfaction/enjoyment associated with performance in all life areas. METHOD: A literature review was completed by undertaking an electronic search to identify instruments that measure activity and participation in children with disabilities. A further electronic search was conducted to obtain an adequate description of the instruments, including psychometric properties. RESULTS: The search identified 20 instruments purporting to measure activity and participation, however, no single instrument measured extent of involvement, difficulty and satisfaction/enjoyment in all life areas. There were instances in which each of these aspects was captured, but not within the one instrument. Instruments assessed combinations of frequency, difficulty, assistance, environment and satisfaction across varying contexts, for example, school, domestic life, recreational tasks, leisure tasks or all life areas. CONCLUSIONS: Although a large number of instruments exist to measure varying aspects of activity and participation, there is currently no single instrument available to measure the extent of involvement, difficulty and satisfaction/enjoyment in all life areas. This finding indicates that there is the opportunity to develop a single instrument to measure activity and participation across all life areas.

The Sensory Observation Autism Rating Scale (SOAR): Developed using the PROMIS® framework.

Autistic people experience the sensory world differently, impacting behavior. First-hand accounts and group-based research have found that sensory differences impact a range of things including family life, anxiety, participation, and daily living. Early sensory differences are widely reported to be associated with a cascade of developmental difference, suggesting that early autism diagnosis and sensory mapping could enable the provision of supports to facilitate flourishing. However, appropriate measurement tools are not available as all rely on proxy report or are observation measures which include limited modalities or domains and require the administration of stimuli. Therefore, following the gold-standard recommendations for measurement development outlined by the PROMIS® framework, we created the Sensory Observation Autism Rating scale (SOAR). We identified sensory behaviors across all primary domains and modalities through an extensive autism-sensory literature review and from focus groups with autism stakeholders. The initial item bank was then refined by an expert panel and through video coding five-minutes of free play from Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule assessments of 105 age- and gender-matched autistic and developmentally delayed children (aged 13-36 months; 38 female). An additional 25% of the sample were double coded to investigate interrater reliability. Observational data and expert review supported the reduction of the item bank to 37 items. We propose that the refined SOAR has excellent face and ecological validity, along with interrater reliability (Intraclass correlation = 0.87-0.99). Following further data collection and refinement, SOAR has promise to fully characterize sensory behaviors in autistic children and indicate useful supports.

The relationship between pitch contours in infant-directed speech and early signs of autism in infancy.

PURPOSE: Mother-infant interactions during the first year of life are crucial to healthy infant development. The infant-directed speech (IDS), and specifically pitch contours, used by mothers during interactions are associated with infant language and social development. However, little research has examined pitch contours towards infants with socio-communication and language differences, such as those displaying early signs of autism spectrum disorder (autism). This study aimed to explore the association of infant autism signs and pitch contours used by mothers with their 12-month-old infants. METHOD: Mother-infant dyads (n = 109) were recruited from the University of Newcastle BabyLab. Parent-infant dyads completed a 15-min interaction, from which a total of 36,128 pitch contours were measured and correlated with infant autism signs. Infant autism signs were assessed via parent-report (First Year Inventory; Reznick et al., 2007). A subset of high-risk infants (admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit, n = 29) also received an observation-based assessment (Autism Detection in Early Childhood; Young & Nah, 2016). RESULTS: Mothers used fewer sinusoidal contours when they rated their infant as displaying more autism signs (rs = - .30, p = .004) and more autism-related sensory regulation issues (rs = - .31, p = .001). Mothers used fewer flat contours if their infant displayed more researcher-rated autism signs (r2 = - .39, p = .04). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the early evidence that maternal pitch contours in IDS are related to early autism signs in infancy. If our findings are replicated in follow up studies where infants are followed to diagnosis, maternal IDS may be an important element of future early intervention protocols that focus on communication for infants with risk for autism.

Patterns of sensory modulation by age and sex in young people on the autism spectrum.

Sensory modulation symptoms form a diagnostic criterion for autism spectrum disorder and are associated with significant daily functional limitations. Utilizing caregiver report on Short Sensory Profile-2 (SSP-2) for 919 autistic children (3-14.11 years), we examined the expression of sensory modulation symptoms by age and sex and investigated the existence of specific sensory modulation subtypes. Sensory modulation symptoms appeared to peak in frequency during middle childhood, particularly in sensory sensitivity and avoidance. Symptoms associated with sensory hypo-reactivity and seeking tended not differ between age cohorts. Males and females demonstrated similar overall sensory modulation profiles, however, females showed elevated symptoms relating to sensory sensitivity. Model-based cluster analysis revealed five interpretable sensory modulation subtypes which related to symptom severity (low, mid-range, high). Subtypes demonstrating mid-range symptom severity differed in focus on sensory hyper-reactivity or seeking symptoms. The findings of this study report for the first time that age-related differences in sensory modulation symptoms may be associated with sensory hyper-reactivity only. The subtyping results also suggest that sensory modulation symptom severity is a reliable means of classifying variance within autistic children, however, consideration of differences in the behavioral strategies employed by individuals to manage sensory modulation symptoms may inform tailored supportive strategies. LAY SUMMARY: We studied sensory symptoms such as over-responding, under-responding and sensation seeking behaviors in 919 autistic children and adolescents. We found that 6-12-year-olds and females displayed the most sensory over-responding symptoms. Autistic children could be grouped into mild, moderate, and severe levels of sensory symptoms, however, children differed in the type of strategies used to cope with their sensory symptoms meaning that they may require different intervention approaches.

Early Sensory and Temperament Features in Infants Born to Mothers With Asthma: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Maternal asthma in pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes. Adverse perinatal outcomes may result in poorer infant developmental outcomes, such as temperament and sensory difficulties. This study aimed to (1) assess differences in temperament and sensory features between infants born to mothers with and without asthma and (2) investigate differences in these infant behaviours as a function of maternal asthma severity and asthma control. Mothers completed the Carey Temperament Scales and the Sensory Profile 2 at either 6 weeks, 6 months, or 12 months postpartum. Overall, we observed no significant differences between infants born to mothers with and without asthma in their temperament or sensory features; scores in both domains fell within the normative range. More infants in the asthma group, however, were reported to be highly distractible. When compared with normative data, infants in both groups were reported to have poor predictability of biological functions and fewer infants engaged in low levels of sensory behaviours. Some infants were observed to experience difficulties with hyper-reactivity within several domains. Maternal asthma severity and control during pregnancy were not linked to significant differences between infant temperament and sensory features. The present findings indicate that infants born to mothers with asthma are not at an increased risk overall for temperament or sensory difficulties, compared to control infants. However, a subset of infants across both groups may be at risk for attention or sensory hyper-reactivity difficulties. Further research into the developmental outcomes of infants born to mothers with asthma is warranted.

An internet-based physical activity intervention for adolescents with cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial.

AIM: To determine the effectiveness of an 8-week internet-based, lifestyle physical-activity intervention for adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP). METHOD: A randomized controlled trial using concealed allocation with blinded assessments at baseline, 10, and 20 weeks. Forty-one adolescents with CP participated (26 males, 15 females; mean age 13y 7mo, SD 1y 8mo, range 11-17y; Gross Motor Function Classification System levels: I, n=21; II, n=17; III, n=3; unilateral distribution n=16, bilateral n=25). Primary outcome was physical activity (NL-1000 accelerometers and self-report [Multimedia Activity Recall for Children and Adolescents: MARCA]). Secondary outcomes were exercise knowledge (a purpose-designed scale), attitudes, intention and self-efficacy (Lifestyle Education for Activity Program II scales), self-reported sedentary behaviour (MARCA), and functional capacity (6-min walk test). RESULTS: At 10 weeks the intervention group showed no increased physical activity compared with the comparison group (weekly steps: change of +2420 vs -12189 steps p=0.06; weekly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity: change of +70 vs +8min, p=0.06; weekly distance walked: change of +3 vs -9.1km, p=0.05) and exercise knowledge (12% vs 1% improvement, p=0.08). There were no statistically significant differences for these outcomes at 20 weeks, or in self-reported physical activity at 10 or 20 weeks. INTERPRETATION: There was a positive short-term pattern for improvement in physical activity and knowledge. Internet-based programs may offer an alternative for participants unable to attend regular face-to-face physical activity programs.