A randomized controlled trial for the primary prevention of osteoporosis among preadolescent girl scouts: 1-year outcomes of a behavioral program

Abstract

Objective: To provide 1-year outcomes for a randomized controlled trial of a behavioral-educational intervention for the primary prevention of osteoporosis among 247 preadolescent girls.

Methods: Girl Scout troops were randomly assigned to one of two intervention groups-a group comprising girls only (n = 73) and girls with their mothers (n = 94)-and a healthy-lifestyles control group (n = 80). Multilevel (hierarchical) models were employed to account for clustering of girls within troops.

Results: Among girls who met the recommended levels of Ca at baseline, those in the intervention were significantly more likely to maintain or improve their intake at follow-up compared to controls. No significant group differences were found for changes in WBPA.

Conclusions: A behavioral intervention for the primary prevention of osteoporosis holds promise for maintaining adequate Ca intake among preadolescent females.