Virtual Umra: An Interdisciplinary Faith-Based Pedometer Intervention for Increasing Steps at School

Abstract

Curriculum interventions aimed at increasing physical activity in schools may prove useful in contexts where changes in policy/environment are not feasible. Design/evaluation of interventions targeting minority groups is important in light of well-publicized health disparities. Religious minorities represent a special subset that may positively respond to interventions tailored to their unique beliefs, which to date have been relatively underreported. Muslim American youth (n = 45) attending a parochial middle school participated in a religiously- and culturally-tailored 8-wk, interdisciplinary pedometer intervention. School-time ambulatory activity was quantified using a delayed multiple-baseline across subjects ABA design. Visual analysis of graphic data as well as repeated-measures ANOVA and ANCOVA and post hoc contrasts were used to analyze step counts including the moderating effects of day type (PE, no-PE), gender, BMI classification, grade, and time. The intervention elicited modest increases in males' steps only with effect decay beginning midintervention. BMI classification and grade were not associated with changes in steps. Full curricular integration by affected classroom teachers, staff modeling of PA behavior, and alternative curriculum for girls' PE classes may further potentiate the intervention.