Rosenkranz ACSM 09

Promoting Physically Active Troop Meetings in Girl Scouts : 

Promoting Physically Active Troop Meetings in Girl Scouts Richard R. Rosenkranz1,2 Timothy K. Behrens3 & David A. Dzewaltowski2,4 1Department of Human Nutrition, Kansas State University 2Youth Health Behavior Research Laboratory, Kansas State University 3Department of Health Sciences, Univ. of Colorado, Colorado Springs 4Department of Kinesiology, Kansas State University

Slide 2: 

Physical Activity-Related Results from a Site-Randomized Controlled Trial for Health Promotion in Girl Scouts: Healthier Troops in a SNAP

Background : 

Background Many children not meeting current guidelines for physical activity 42% of children aged 6-11 and 8% of adolescents aged 12-19 achieve recommended 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per day Troiano et al., 2008, MSSE, 40(1):181-188 Girls less physically active than boys, both genders decline in activity throughout adolescence Sallis, Prochaska & Taylor, 2000, MSSE, 32(5):963-975 Kimm et al., 2002, NEJM, 347:709-715

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Purpose To test an intervention designed to improve Girl Scouts troop meeting environments regarding MVPA, and leader promotion of MVPA

Slide 5: 

Design: Site-Randomized Trial 7 Junior troops agreed to participate Baseline Measurements 3 Intervention, n = 34 girls 4 Control, n = 42 girls Post-Intervention Measurements Randomization Grouped by troop size Met with 11 troop leaders 4 Declined due to prior commitments (n = 3), or inability to get parent consent by start date (n =1) Observations 7 per troop, 49 total n = 72 girls, 68 parents n = 76 girls, 68 parents 5 months

Intervention Structure : 

Intervention Structure Based on Social Cognitive Theory Modeling, skill-building, self efficacy, asking/proxy efficacy, reinforcement SNAP Curriculum Fun physical activity (dancing, walking, yoga, active games), fruit & vegetable snack, self-monitoring & goal-setting for target behaviors Eight modules in total, 60-90 minutes October through February

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Troop meeting policies 15 minutes PA, no TV, no soda, no candy Leader encouragement & modeling of target behaviors Girl scouts badge assignments Possible Badges: Highway to Health Fun & Fit A Healthier You Walking for Fitness Our Own = SNAP Intervention Structure

Method : 

Method Troop Environmental Measures Direct observation by trained coders Session context- structure versus free play, general content, physical activity educational content Leader promotion of physical activity Leader discouragement of physical activity or encouragement of sedentary behavior Session type, duration Physical condition of room Attendance Scout Activity Measures ActiGraph GT1M accelerometer counts  minutes in physical activity levels (Freedson cut-points)

Method : 

Method Statistical Analysis General linear model for individual variables Mixed-model Fixed effects- Socioeconomic status, weight status, attendance status Random effects- Girls nested within troop (intervention) Univariate for troop environment variables ANOVAs Differences between intervention & control Controlling for troop, observation number

Hypotheses : 

Hypotheses Relative to control troops, intervention troops will feature: H1- Greater opportunities for physical activity H2- Higher levels of MVPA in scouts H3- Lower levels of sedentary behavior in scouts H4- More encouragement from troop leaders for physical activity

Slide 11: 

Baseline characteristics by troop condition No significant differences by condition at baseline, p > .05

Results: Troop environment and troop leader behavior by condition : 

Results: Troop environment and troop leader behavior by condition

Results: Troop time in Physically Active Content (4,280 minutes total observed time) : 

Results: Troop time in Physically Active Content (4,280 minutes total observed time) *intervention troops > control troops, X2 = 210.8, p < .001

Results: Mean minutes of physical activity levels per troop meeting by condition : 

Results: Mean minutes of physical activity levels per troop meeting by condition *Significant difference by condition, F(1,5) > 10.0, p < .025 * * 1 * *

Discussion : 

Discussion H1 supported: Troops randomly assigned to the intervention showed greater opportunities for physical activity than control condition troops. H2 supported: Girl scouts in intervention troops had higher levels of MVPA than those in control troops. H3 not supported: Girl scouts in intervention troops appeared to spend less time being sedentary than those in control troops, but the difference was not statistically significant. H4 supported: Troop leaders of intervention troops offered more encouragement of MVPA than those in control troops.

Discussion & Conclusions : 

Discussion & Conclusions Intervention successfully implemented, resulted in troop leader promotion, increased environmental opportunities for physical activity, and more MVPA in troop meetings Strengths- Novel intervention, direct observation, accelerometry, disseminable to other settings Limitations- homogeneous population, pilot methodology Future Study Involve parents in troop meetings Strive to generalize MVPA promotion to settings outside troop meetings, including home environment

Acknowledgements : 

Acknowledgements Dr. Mark Haub Dr. Carolann Holcomb Dr. Melissa Bopp Dr. Stewart Trost Kim Savidge Beth Larue Dr. Karly Geller Sara Rosenkranz All the Girl Scout troop leaders & participants