Journal Article

Impact of the ActTeens Program on physical activity and fitness in adolescents: a cluster randomized controlled trial

Stabelini Neto, Antonio, Castilho dos Santos, Géssika, de Oliveira Barbosa, Rodrigo, Lubans, David R., de Souza Silva, Thais Maria, Kennedy, Sarah G., da Silva, Jadson Marcio

2024

Overview

Background The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of the ActTeens Program on physical activity and health-related physical fitness among adolescents in Brazil. Methods The “ActTeens Program” was conducted using a cluster-randomized controlled trial during 24-week school term. The sample consisted of 317 adolescents (52.7% girls; 13.61 ± 0.70 years) from four secondary schools that were randomly assigned to intervention group ( N  = 169) or control group ( N  = 148). This school-based physical activity (PA) intervention involved two components: (i) structured physical activity sessions delivered within physical education (PE) and (ii) healthy lifestyle guidance (mHealth). The primary outcome was PA assessed using Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A); secondary outcomes included muscular (MF) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) assessed using 90-push-up, handgrip dynamometer, standing long jump, and 20 m PACER shuttle run test. Assessments were conducted at baseline, 12- and 24-week. Intervention effects were assessed using linear mixed models (LMM). Results For the primary outcome (PA), no significant group-by-time effects were observed for physical education based-PA (0.3 score; 95%CI: -0.1; 0.6; and − 0.01 score; 95%CI: -0.03; 0.03, at 12-wk and 24-wk respectively) and total PA (-0.02 score; 95%CI: -0.2; 0.2; and − 0.01score; 95%CI: -0.2; 0.2, at 12 and 24 weeks respectively). After 24 weeks, we observed a significant group by time effects for lower body muscular fitness (12.9 cm; 95%CI, 3.2 to 22.2). Conclusion The implementation of aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercises used in the ActTeens intervention did not lead to improvements in physical activity. The intervention resulted in improved lower body muscular fitness, however, we found no significant differences for upper body muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Adolescent / Brazil / Cardiorespiratory Fitness - physiology / Exercise / Exercise - physiology / Female / Health aspects / Health Promotion - methods / Healthy Lifestyle / High school students / Humans / Internal Medicine / Male / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Pediatrics / Physical Education and Training / Physical Education and Training - methods / Physical Fitness / Physiological aspects / Program Evaluation / School Health Services / Students / Teenagers / Telemedicine / Youth