Girls on the Move Intervention to Increase Physical Activity Among Middle School Girls

• Minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day [ Time Frame: Change from baseline in minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day at 17 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  Between-group comparison measured by accelerometer
  
  

• Cardiovascular fitness [ Time Frame: Change from baseline in cardiovascular fitness at 17 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  Between group comparison measured by number of laps run in a progressive shuttle run test
  
  
• Body mass index [ Time Frame: Change from baseline in body mass index at 17 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Percent body fat [ Time Frame: Change from baseline in percent body fat at 17 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  Between group comparison of percent body fat estimated via a weight scale with bioelectrical impedance analysis capabilities
  
  
• Minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day [ Time Frame: Change from baseline in minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day at 9 months after end of intervention ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  Between-group comparison measured by accelerometer
  
  

Our 17-week "Girls on the Move" (GOTM) intervention for middle school girls applies the Health Promotion Model (HPM) and Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and has 3 components. Two individual-level components occurring during school hours include: (1) two face-to-face motivational, individually tailored counseling sessions with a school nurse (occurring at baseline and near 17 wks.), and (2) an interactive Internet-based session during which each girl receives motivational, individually tailored feedback messages (at 9 wks.). A group-level component, 90-min. PA Club, led by PA instructors (e.g., individuals from community; teachers, including physical education (PE); and sports team coaches) provides an important venue after school that includes MVPAs (requested by girls in pilot) to assist girls in establishing a behavioral pattern of MVPA. The control condition will complete data collection activities and receive their usual school offerings.

The purpose of this school-based group randomized trial (GRT) is to evaluate the efficacy of the comprehensive GOTM intervention to increase middle school girls' min. of MVPA and improve cardiovascular (CV) fitness, body mass index (BMI), and percent body fat (% BF) immediately post-intervention (after 17 wks.) and at 9-mo. follow-up (F/U; 9 mos. after end of intervention). Secondary analyses will examine if MVPA is mediated by cognitive (e.g., perceived benefits of PA, barriers to PA, and PA self-efficacy; social support) and affective variables (e.g., enjoyment of and motivation for PA).

Based on demographics of the urban schools, we expect a low-SES, mixed-race, predominately African American, sample. Eight schools will be randomly assigned to the PA intervention (n = 4) or comparison condition (n = 4) in the fall of yrs. 2, 3, and 4 (total N = 8 X 3 = 24 different schools). Sixty-two girls meeting inclusion criteria based on answers to a screening tool will be recruited in each school during each of the three yrs.

The long-term goal is to increase MVPA as a means to address the high overweight and obesity prevalence among adolescent girls.