Abstract
BackgroundAdolescent girls in the UK and Ireland are failing to meet current physical activity guidelines. Physical activity behaviours track from childhood to adulthood and it is important that adolescent girls are provided with opportunities to be physically active. Walking has been a central focus for physical activity promotion in adults and may effectively increase physical activity levels among younger people. Following on from a pilot feasibility trial, the purpose of this cluster randomised controlled trial (c-RCT) is to evaluate the effectiveness of a novel, low-cost, peer-led school-based walking intervention delivered across the school year at increasing physical activity levels of adolescent girls.MethodsThe Walking In ScHools (WISH) Study is a school-based c-RCT conducted with girls aged 12–14 years from eighteen schools across the Border Region of Ireland / Northern Ireland. Following baseline data collection, schools will be randomly allocated to intervention or control group. In intervention schools, female pupils aged 15–18 years will be invited to train as walk leaders and will lead younger pupils in 10–15 min walks before school, at break and lunch recess. All walks will take place in school grounds and pupils will be encouraged to participate in as many walks as possible each week. The intervention will be delivered for the whole school year (minimum 20–22 weeks). The primary outcome measure is accelerometer-measured total physical activity (counts per minute) (end of intervention). Secondary outcomes will include time spent in sedentary behaviour, light, moderate and vigorous intensity physical activity, anthropometry measures, social media usage and sleep. A mixed-methods process evaluation will also be undertaken.DiscussionThe WISH Study will examine the effectiveness of a low-cost, school-based, peer-led walking intervention in increasing physical activity in adolescent girls when delivered across the school year. If the intervention increases physical activity, it would benefit adolescent girls in the defined target area with potential for wider adoption by schools across the UK and Ireland.Trial registrationISRCTN; ISRCTN12847782; Registered 2nd July 2019.
Highlights
Adolescent girls in the UK and Ireland are failing to meet current physical activity guidelines
The Walking In ScHools (WISH) Study will examine the effectiveness of a low-cost, school-based, peer-led walking intervention in increasing physical activity in adolescent girls when delivered across the school year
Schools are an excellent setting for physical activity promotion among adolescents [13] as children spend 40% of their waking time at school [14], there is a lack of consensus on how best to promote physical activity within the school setting to ensure the maintenance of physical activity behaviours into late adolescence, and adulthood [13]
Summary
Adolescent girls in the UK and Ireland are failing to meet current physical activity guidelines. Following on from a pilot feasibility trial, the purpose of this cluster randomised controlled trial (c-RCT) is to evaluate the effectiveness of a novel, low-cost, peerled school-based walking intervention delivered across the school year at increasing physical activity levels of adolescent girls. School-based Physical Education (PE) provides an opportunity for young people to participate in structured, regular physical activity [15] but research has shown that girls are offered significantly less PE time than boys [16]. Interventions during recess are feasible [19, 20] and female pupils tend to socialise with friends during this time but are less active than males so this period may provide a unique opportunity to increase physical activity levels in adolescent females [21,22,23,24]
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