MedPath

A Skills-based RCT for Physical Activity Using Peer Mentors

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Obesity
Motor Activity
Health Behavior
Interventions
Behavioral: Mentoring to be Active with Accelerometers
Behavioral: Planning to be Active with Accelerometers
Registration Number
NCT02329262
Lead Sponsor
Ohio State University
Brief Summary

This approach will train peer mentors to deliver a culturally appropriate intervention and provide social support that is critical for facilitating and sustaining health behavior change. The objective is to compare the efficacy of an innovative healthy lifestyle skills mentoring program (Mentored Planning to be Active \[MBA\]) to a teacher led program (PBA) for increasing physical activity in Appalachian high school teens. MBA emphasizes the social determinants of health by using a social networking approach that trains peer mentors to support targeted teens

Detailed Description

The goal of this study is to positively impact the physical activity patterns to improve health outcomes including the high rates of obesity in Appalachian teens. The approach will train peer mentors to deliver the culturally appropriate intervention and provide social support that is critical for facilitating and sustaining health behavior change. The primary objective is to compare the efficacy of an innovative healthy lifestyle skills mentoring program (Mentored Planning to be Active \[MBA\]) to a teacher led program (PBA) for increasing physical activity in Appalachian high school teens. MBA emphasizes the social determinants of health by using a social networking approach that trains peer mentors to support targeted teens. Refined over the course of 3 studies,2-4 PBA is a ten-lesson unit delivered over 10 weeks and designed to teach self-regulation of physical activity among teens. Expanding PBA to mentors via MBA has the potential to promote and sustain adoption of daily regular physical activity through self-regulation of physical activity in discretionary time. With MBA delivery, physical activity is tailored to personal interests, talents, and neighborhood environment. MBA empowers students to plan and evaluate their own personal activity plan. It is predicted that by serving as role models, peer mentors will improve their own lifestyle behaviors, providing a double-edged intervention. It is also predicted that providing intense and structured social support to teens via peer mentors will result in better health outcomes compared to teacher-based support alone (usual care). The plan is to conduct a group randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of a culturally and theoretically based behavioral intervention delivered by peer mentors (MBA) on adolescent healthy behaviors (daily physical activity, regular exercise, and sedentary behaviors) and physical health outcomes (BMI, body fat) compared to PBA delivered in a classroom setting by a teacher.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
571
Inclusion Criteria
  • 9th or 10th grade students as participants
  • 11th or 12th grade students as mentors
  • Classroom teachers who instruct health education or physical education to 9th and 10th grade students.
  • Not expected to move from school prior to conclusion of study
  • Speaks English
Exclusion Criteria
  • Peer mentors with a BMI (for age and gender) above the 85th percentile or below the 5th percentile at the start of the study

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Mentoring to be ActiveMentoring to be Active with AccelerometersTrained teen mentors will deliver the physical activity curriculum to high school students in a school setting. Physical activity will be measured with accelerometers.
Planning to be ActivePlanning to be Active with AccelerometersHigh school teachers will deliver the physical activity curriculum (usual care) to high school students enrolled in health education courses. Physical activity will be measured with accelerometers.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in Body Mass Index From T1 to T3T1 (Baseline) to T3 (9 months-post baseline)

Body mass index is caculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters.

The measure is the change in BMI from baseline to 9 months post-baseline.

Change in Total Body Weight From T1 to T3T1 (baseline) to T3 (9-month post baseline)

Change in total body weight from baseline to 9 months post-baseline.

Change in Pounds of Body Fat From T1 to T3T1 ( Baseline) to T3 (9-months post baseline)

Body fat in pounds measured by Tanita Body Composition Analyzer.

This equipment provides estimated values for each measured value of body fat percentage, fat mass, fat free mass, muscle mass and bone mass by the DXA method, estimated value for the total body water measured value by the dilution method and estimated value for the visceral fat rating by MRI method using the Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA method). The Tanita Body Composition Analyzer measures body composition using a constant current source with a high frequency current (6.25kHz, 50kHz, 90μA). The 4 electrodes are positioned so that electric current is supplied from the electrodes on the tips of the toes of both feet, and voltage is measured on the heel of both feet. Body weight measured with shoes and socks removed. Calculated to the nearest 0.2 pounds.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Moderate Physical Activity (Daily)9 months

Percentage of participants engaging in daily moderate physical activity. Measured by accelerometers; subjects to wear devices for 7 days at each data collection time point

Outcome Expectancies Scale9 months

21 item, 6 -point Likert Summative Scale focusing on psychological determinants of physical activity. Higher values indicate higher (more positive) outcome expectancies. Range of scores are from 21-126 with a score of 63 or higher indicating more positive expectancy from engaging in physical activity.

Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale9 months

14 item scale that asks participants to rank their own confidence in performing an exercise behavior from 0% confidence to 100 % confidence. Higher percentages indicate higher levels of self-efficacy to engage in physical activity. Each item may range from 0% to 100%. An item score of 51% indicates "positive" confidence. Eight or more items with at least 51% for each indicates overall" positive self-efficacy" to engage in exercise. The total scale may range from 0 (no confidence)-1400 (100% confidence on each item). A score of 408 or higher (at least 51% on a minimum of 8/14 items) indicates "positive" self-efficacy to engage in exercise.

Outcome Expectations Scale9 months

40 item, 6-point Likert type scale that asks participants to rank their expectations of what physical activity will do their own health outcomes. Scores range from 40-240. Scores of 101 or above indicate more positive expectation of what physical activity can do to health outcomes (more positive health outcomes expected)

Social Support From Family and Friends to Exercise9 months

12 item, 5 point Likert measure asking participants to rate each question twice: Once for family members and once for friends. Questions ask about the perceived social support to engage in physical activity within the past 3 months. Higher values indicate more social support to engage in physical activity. Values range from 12-60 for the Family Social Support and 12-60 for Friends Social Support. A total social support score is created by summing the scores for family and friends combined. A total score of 25 or above for indicates higher or more positive social support.

Vigorous Physical Activity9 months

Percentage of participants engaging in vigorous physical activity during the data collection period measured by accelerometers.

Trial Locations

Locations (20)

Huntington Local High School

🇺🇸

Chillicothe, Ohio, United States

Unioto High School

🇺🇸

Chillicothe, Ohio, United States

Dawson-Bryant High School

🇺🇸

Coal Grove, Ohio, United States

Green High School

🇺🇸

Franklin Furnace, Ohio, United States

Ironton High School

🇺🇸

Ironton, Ohio, United States

Jackson High School

🇺🇸

Jackson, Ohio, United States

New Boston High School

🇺🇸

New Boston, Ohio, United States

Oak Hill High School

🇺🇸

Oak Hill, Ohio, United States

Piketon High School

🇺🇸

Piketon, Ohio, United States

Western High School

🇺🇸

Latham, Ohio, United States

Southern Local High School

🇺🇸

Racine, Ohio, United States

Clay Local High School

🇺🇸

Portsmouth, Ohio, United States

South Point High School

🇺🇸

South Point, Ohio, United States

Federal Hocking High School

🇺🇸

Stewart, Ohio, United States

Waverly High School

🇺🇸

Waverly, Ohio, United States

Chillicothe High School

🇺🇸

Chillicothe, Ohio, United States

River Valley High School

🇺🇸

Bidwell, Ohio, United States

West Portsmouth High School

🇺🇸

Portsmouth, Ohio, United States

Zane Trace High School

🇺🇸

Chillicothe, Ohio, United States

Berne Union High School

🇺🇸

Sugar Grove, Ohio, United States

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath