Abstract
Background: As physical inactivity is particularly prevalent amongst lower-educated adolescent girls, interventions are needed. Using a co-creational approach increases their engagement and might be effective. This study aimed to: (1) describe the co-creation process, (2) evaluate how girls experienced co-creation, and (3) evaluate the effect of the co-creational interventions on physical activity, individual, sociocultural and school-based factors. Methods: Three intervention schools (n = 91) and three control schools (n = 105) across Flanders participated. A questionnaire was completed pre (September–October 2014) and post (April–May 2015). In between, sessions with a co-creation group were organised to develop and implement the intervention in each intervention school. Focus groups were conducted to evaluate the co-creational process. Results: School 1 organised sport sessions for girls, school 2 organised a fitness activity and set up a Facebook page, school 3 organised a lunch walk. Girls were positive about having a voice in developing an intervention. No significant effects were found, except for small effects on extracurricular sports participation and self-efficacy. Conclusions: Using a co-creational approach amongst adolescent girls might be a feasible approach. However, as interventions were minimal, effects were limited or undetectable. Future co-creation projects could consider the most optimal co-creation process, evaluation design and intensively test this approach.
Highlights
Physical activity is associated with improved physical and mental health among children and adolescents [1,2,3]
In four out of six schools (three control schools (n = 122) and one intervention school, School 2 (n = 76)), all adolescent girls from the 10th Grade were invited to participate in the study
In one intervention school (i.e., School 1), the principal selected one class from the 10th Grade (n = 14), as the other classes only or mostly contained boys. In another intervention school (i.e., School 3), the principal chose to involve all girls from the school (n = 34)
Summary
Physical activity is associated with improved physical and mental health among children and adolescents [1,2,3]. Large proportions of children and adolescents fail to achieve the recommended 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day [4,5,6]. As physical inactivity is prevalent amongst lower-educated adolescent girls, interventions are needed. This study aimed to: (1) describe the co-creation process, (2) evaluate how girls experienced co-creation, and (3) evaluate the effect of the co-creational interventions on physical activity, individual, sociocultural and school-based factors. Sessions with a co-creation group were organised to develop and implement the intervention in each intervention school. Girls were positive about having a voice in developing an intervention
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