Low Physical Fitness, Physical Inactivity
Conditions
Keywords
Resistance Training; Muscle Strength
Brief summary
The majority of today's youth do not engage in enough physical activity (PA) to maintain good health. Low PA levels are associated with poor health (e.g. diabetes, high blood pressure) and early mortality. Girls are less likely than boys to be active, and their rates of participation drop off more steeply during adolescence. Girls report many barriers to exercise, including transportation issues and feeling self-conscious about their appearance and abilities. School-based PA programs that try to improve health, mainly through aerobic exercise and education, have had a small effect to date. However, the few programs that included resistance training as the focus showed strong improvements in health related measures. In this project, we will examine the effect of a female strength and conditioning specialist on decreasing barriers and increasing the overall health of high school girls, with the delivery of in-school, girls-only resistance training programs. We will see if physical and mental health changes with the training, and how the presence of the S & C specialist affects the girls' social interactions within the school. The results will help individuals in the education sector plan programs and services to improve overall youth and school health.
Interventions
OTHERGirls-only resistance training
Sponsors
University of Manitoba
Study design
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
13 Years to 18 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Grades 7 to 12 at Grant Park High School * do not participate on organized sports teams * self-report as not meeting the recommended amount of 60 min of Moderate-Vigorous Physical Activity per day
Exclusion criteria
* engaged in regular resistance training activities within the previous 6 months * health condition or injury that would put them at risk during testing/training
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| 1 Repetition Maximum leg press | Change from Baseline and at 8 weeks |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Repetition Maximum bench press | Baseline and at 8 weeks | — |
| Grip strength dynamometry | Baseline and at 8 weeks | The average of three repetitions for each hand will be used in analysis |
| mCAFT for aerobic fitness | Baseline and at 8 weeks | — |
| Physical activity levels | Baseline and at 8 weeks | Average daily minutes spent in Sedentary, Low, Moderate and Vigorous intensity activity over 5 days will be measured via an accelerometer worn around the waist. |
| Physical Self-Perception Profile | Baseline and at 8 weeks | 36 item questionnaire; scores for embedded scales of Strength Competence, Physical Self-Worth, Global Self-Worth, and Attractive Body Adequacy will be calculated. |
Countries
Canada
Outcome results
None listed