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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2008 Mar;34(3):173-84.
doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2007.11.018.

Promoting physical activity in middle school girls: Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls

Larry S Webber  1 , Diane J Catellier, Leslie A Lytle, David M Murray, Charlotte A Pratt, Deborah R Young, John P Elder, Timothy G Lohman, June Stevens, Jared B Jobe, Russell R Pate; TAAG Collaborative Research Group
Collaborators, Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Promoting physical activity in middle school girls: Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls

Larry S Webber et al. Am J Prev Med. 2008 Mar.

Abstract

Background: Physical activity is important for weight control and good health; however, activity levels decline in the adolescent years, particularly in girls.

Design: Group randomized controlled trial.

Setting/participants: Middle school girls with English-speaking skills and no conditions to prevent participation in physical activity in 36 schools in six geographically diverse areas of the United States. Random, cross-sectional samples were drawn within schools: 6th graders in 2003 (n=1721) and 8th graders in 2005 (n=3504) and 2006 (n=3502).

Intervention: A 2-year study-directed intervention (fall 2003 to spring 2005) targeted schools, community agencies, and girls to increase opportunities, support, and incentives for increased physical activity. Components included programs linking schools and community agencies, physical education, health education, and social marketing. A third-year intervention used school and community personnel to direct intervention activities.

Main outcome measures: The primary outcome, daily MET-weighted minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MET-weighted MVPA), was assessed using accelerometry. Percent body fat was assessed using anthropometry.

Results: After the staff-directed intervention (pre-stated primary outcome), there were no differences (mean= -0.4, 95% CI= -8.2 to 7.4) in adjusted MET-weighted MVPA between 8th-grade girls in schools assigned to intervention or control. Following the Program Champion-directed intervention, girls in intervention schools were more physically active than girls in control schools (mean difference 10.9 MET-weighted minutes of MVPA, 95% CI=0.52-21.2). This difference is about 1.6 minutes of daily MVPA or 80 kcal per week. There were no differences in fitness or percent body fat at either 8th-grade timepoint.

Conclusion: A school-based, community-linked intervention modestly improved physical activity in girls.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00006409.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG) study design. Six schools at each field center were randomized into intervention or control condition after baseline measurements were collected in 6th-grade girls in fall 2003. After the staff-directed intervention during spring 2005 and again after the Program Champion–directed intervention in spring 2006, outcome measurements were obtained in separate sets of 8th-grade girls.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Sample selection: spring 2003 baseline, 6th grade; spring 2005 follow-up, 8th grade; and spring 2006 follow-up, 8th grade.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Differences in adjusted mean MET-weighted minutes of MVPA per day between intervention and control schools. The bars represent 95% CIs for the adjusted differences. Girls in control schools had 2.2 minutes more of MET-weighted minutes of MVPA during 6th grade baseline (p>0.05). By spring 2005, this difference decreased to 0.4 MET-weighted minutes of MVPA (p>0.05). By spring 2006, girls in intervention schools had 10.9 adjusted mean MET-weighted minutes of MVPA more than girls in control schools (p<0.05). MVPA, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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