Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2019 Mar 28;53(5):493-500.
doi: 10.1093/abm/kay054.

Intervention Effects of "Girls on the Move" on Increasing Physical Activity: A Group Randomized Trial

Lorraine B Robbins  1 , Jiying Ling  1 , Dhruv B Sharma  2 , Danielle M Dalimonte-Merckling  3 , Vicki R Voskuil  4 , Kenneth Resnicow  5 , Niko Kaciroti  6 , Karin A Pfeiffer  7
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Intervention Effects of "Girls on the Move" on Increasing Physical Activity: A Group Randomized Trial

Lorraine B Robbins et al. Ann Behav Med. .

Abstract

Background: Limited intervention success in increasing and sustaining girls' moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) underscores a need for continued research.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a 17-week Girls on the Move (GOTM) intervention on increasing MVPA among fifth- to eighth-grade girls.

Methods: This study is a group (cluster) randomized trial, including 24 schools, pair matched and assigned to intervention (n = 12) or control (n = 12) conditions. Participants included 1,519 girls in racially diverse public schools in urban, underserved areas of the Midwestern USA. The intervention included three components: (i) 90-min after-school physical activity (PA) club offered 3 days/week; (ii) two motivational, individually tailored counseling sessions; and (iii) an interactive Internet-based session at the midpoint of the intervention. Main outcome measures were weighted mean minutes of MVPA per week post-intervention and at 9-month follow-up measured via accelerometer.

Results: No between-group differences occurred for weighted mean minutes of MVPA per week at post-intervention (B = -0.08, p = .207) or 9-month follow-up (B = -0.09, p = .118) while controlling for baseline MVPA.

Conclusions: Research is needed to identify interventions that assist girls in attaining and maintaining adequate PA.

Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT01503333.

Keywords: Adolescents; Exercise; Females; Intervention; School; Tailored counseling.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow diagram of participants through trial
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Kann L, McManus T, Harris WA, et al. Youth risk behavior surveillance—United States, 2015. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2016;65:1–174. - PubMed
    1. US Department of Health and Human Services. 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services; 2008.
    1. Voorhees CC, Catellier DJ, Ashwood JS, et al. Neighborhood socioeconomic status and non school physical activity and body mass index in adolescent girls. J Phys Act Health. 2009;6:731–740. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Voskuil VR, Frambes DA, Robbins LB. Effect of physical activity interventions for girls on objectively measured outcomes: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. J Pediatr Health Care. 2017;31:75–87. - PubMed
    1. Webber LS, Catellier DJ, Lytle LA, et al. ; TAAG Collaborative Research Group Promoting physical activity in middle school girls: Trial of activity for adolescent girls. Am J Prev Med. 2008;34:173–184. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

Associated data