The Active by Choice Today (ACT) Trial to Increase Physical Activity

Phase 1

Completed

• Conditions: Physical Activity; Obesity; Exercise
• Interventions: Behavioral: Physical Activity Program; Behavioral: General Health Program

• Registration Number: NCT01028144
• Lead Sponsor: University of South Carolina

Brief Summary

The increasing prevalence of obesity in U.S. children and adolescents is a major health threat to our society, especially among minority and low social economic status (SES) populations. During adolescence physical activity (PA) decreases and is likely an important contributor to the increasing trend in childhood obesity rates. Little evidence suggests that school-based curriculum interventions lead to increases in overall PA. Thus, this proposal will evaluate the efficacy of an innovative motivational and behavioral skills after-school program for promoting increases PA among underserved adolescents (e.g., minorities, low SES). The motivational plus behavioral skills intervention is consistent with Self-Determination (Motivation) Theory and Social Cognitive Theory in that it emphasizes increasing intrinsic motivation and behavioral skills for PA. Adolescents in the intervention take part in developing the program, selecting physical activities that generate fun and interest, and generating their own coping strategies for making effective PA changes during a videotaped session. Preliminary data from our group demonstrates the feasibility of the motivational plus behavioral skills PA program for increasing moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) in underserved adolescents in South Carolina. The proposed project will use a school-based nested cohort design to evaluate efficacy of a 17-week motivational plus behavioral skills program versus typical after-school program (general health education only) on increasing PA in underserved adolescents. Twenty-four middle schools (70 6th graders per school; N=1,680), located in South Carolina will be randomly assigned to one of two after-school programs. The study employs a nested cohort design, with schools, rather than individuals assigned to condition and will be analyzed using repeated measures analysis of covariance techniques as outlined by Murray. We will also examine psychosocial variables (PA self-efficacy, self-concept, motivation, social support, and enjoyment) as potential mediators of the intervention on changes in MVPA using regression and structural equation modeling techniques. This study will address an important public health problem that will have implications for decreasing obesity in underserved adolescents.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2004-07
• Primary Completion: 2009-05
• Study Completion: 2009-05
• Status Verified: 2009-12
• Study First Submitted: 2009-12-01
• Study First Submitted QC: 2009-12-08
• Study First Posted: 2009-12-09
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-01-17
• Last Update Posted: 2023-01-19

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 1422

Inclusion Criteria

• parental consent
• agree to random assignment
• 6th grade student

Exclusion Criteria

• medical condition that interfered with physical activity
• developmentally delayed such that the intervention materials were not cognitively appropriate
• currently in treatment for a psychiatric disorder

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
ACT Program	Physical Activity Program	Motivational and Behavioral Skills Physical activity after-school program
General Health	General Health Program	General health education after-school program

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
moderate to vigorous physical activity (based on accelerometry estimates)	2 weeks post intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
moderate to vigorous physical activity during the intervention (based on accelerometry estimates)	week 8 of the intervention

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of South Carolina; 🇺🇸 Columbia, South Carolina, United States