“Girls on the Move” intervention protocol for increasing physical activity among low-active underserved urban girls: a group randomized trial
- UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Amber Vermeesch, Associate Professor of Nursing (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
- Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Abstract: Background Increasing moderate to vigorous physical activity among urban girls of lowsocioeconomic status is both a challenge and a public health priority. Physical activityinterventions targeting exclusively girls remain limited, and maintenance of moderate to vigorousphysical activity during the post-intervention period has been difficult to maintain. The main aimof the 5-year “Girls on the Move” group randomized trial is to evaluate the efficacy of acomprehensive school-based intervention in increasing girls’ minutes of moderate to vigorousphysical activity and improving cardiovascular fitness, body mass index, and percent body fatimmediately post-intervention (after 17 weeks) and at 9-month post-intervention follow-up (9months after end of intervention).Methods/Design A total of 24 urban middle schools in the Midwestern U.S. will be randomizedto either receive the intervention or serve as a control (N = 1200 girls). The intervention, based onthe Health Promotion Model and Self-Determination Theory, will include: (1) two face-to-facemotivational, individually tailored counseling sessions with a registered nurse, one at thebeginning and the other at the end of the intervention period; (2) an interactive Internet-basedsession during which each girl receives individually tailored motivational and feedback messagesvia iPad at 11 weeks (shortly after midpoint of intervention); and (3) a 90-minute after-schoolphysical activity club. Racially diverse, low-active, 10- to 14-year-old 5th to 8th-grade girls willcomplete questionnaires and physical measures at baseline and post-intervention (n = 50 perschool). Minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity will be assessed with accelerometers.Cardiovascular fitness will be assessed by estimating VO2 max with PACER (Progressive AerobicCardiovascular Endurance Run) scores. Height and weight will be assessed to calculate body massindex. Percent body fat will be estimated with a foot-to-foot bioelectric impedance scale. Linearmixed effects regression analyses will be performed to assess intervention effects.Discussion This multi-component approach is expected to improve girls’ moderate to vigorousphysical activity and related physical outcomes.
“Girls on the Move” intervention protocol for increasing physical activity among low-active underserved urban girls: a group randomized trial
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Created on 10/3/2013
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Additional Information
- Publication
- BMC Public Health, 13(474)
- Language: English
- Date: 2013
- Keywords
- group randomized trial, physical activity, adolescents, females, school, intervention
, tailored counseling, motivational interviewing