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ActiveGirls: Physical Activity, Hormone Health, and Diabetes Risk in Early Adolescence

ActiveGirls: Physical Activity, Hormone Health, and Diabetes Risk in Early Adolescence

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07102797
Enrollment
40
Registered
2025-08-05
Start date
2025-11-24
Completion date
2027-12-01
Last updated
2026-03-19

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Insulin Resistance, PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), Physical Activity, Puberty

Keywords

PCOS, Prevention, Physical Activity

Brief summary

This study explores how a physical activity program can affect hormone health and diabetes risk in girls ages 8-12 who may be at higher risk. The study aims to address: * Does the 'ActiveGirls' program meet the needs of girls and families in engaging them to increase physical activity? * What is the trend of markers of diabetes risk and puberty hormones over a 1-year period and how are these levels related to physical activity levels? Participants in this study will either: * Participate in a 'full' intensity intervention that includes educational messages (text/email) as well as health coaching visits to support physical activity over a 6 month period * Participate in a delayed 'lower intensity' intervention that includes only educational messages (text/email) * Participants in both groups will complete at-home activity monitoring, two study visits for check-ups and tests, and surveys

Detailed description

This study is a pilot randomized trial to assess the preliminary feasibility and efficacy of a physical activity intervention enrolling peripubertal females. Participants will be assigned to the intensive intervention group with text messaging and health coaching versus delayed lower intensity comparison group with a lower intensity text-only intervention. Participants in both arms will complete objective measures of body composition, insulin dynamics, reproductive hormones, physical activity and fitness over a one-year period. Participants as well as a caregiver proxy will complete survey measures addressing lifestyle behaviors and social-emotional wellness. Given evidence suggesting increased effectiveness of whole-family lifestyle interventions, a parent/caregiver will assist with child participation in the ActiveGirls program, including facilitating health coaching visits and at-home physical activity sessions. assist in intervention delivery and outcomes assessment. After the baseline visit, there are 2 more study assessment points at 6-months and 12-months. The baseline and 12-month assessments require in-person visits to the MGH Translational and Clinical Research Centers (TCRC); the 6-month assessment is performed remotely. All study visits will occur at MGH.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALActiveGirls Physical Activity Program (Full)

Participants in the ActiveGirls Full Intensity intervention group will receive a series of 6 health coaching visits delivered via telemedicine. These visits will address physical activity goal setting within the family. Participants will also receive the ActiveGirls education messaging which will include 3-4 text messages per week (Months 1-6 of their study participation).

BEHAVIORALActiveGirls Physical Activity Program (Delayed Lower Intensity)

Participants in this group will only receive the ActiveGirls education messaging which will include 3-4 text messages per week (Months 7-12 of their study participation)

Sponsors

Massachusetts General Hospital
Lead SponsorOTHER
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
CollaboratorNIH

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE

Intervention model description

Participants will be assigned to the intensive intervention group with text messaging and health coaching versus a delayed lower intensity comparison group with a lower intensity text-only intervention.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
8 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Caregiver: Caregiver of child (ie mother, father, or other legal guardian), English-speaking, Access to a device where they are able to receive study e-mails or texts * Child: English-speaking, Female, ages 8-12 years old at time of enrollment, Pre-menarchal at time of baseline visit, at risk for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)/insulin resistance, as defined by (1) History of maternal PCOS/maternal GDM, (2) BMI \>/= 85th percentile, (3) History of premature adrenarche, or (4) Small (\<10th %ile) for gestational age

Exclusion criteria

(Child): * Medications at time of enrollment: Metformin, GLP-1R Agonist, Insulin, GnRH agonist * Endocrine conditions that would impact either insulin sensitivity, androgen concentrations, or growth * Insulin dynamics: Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, Congenital Hyperinsulinism * Androgen Conditions: Adrenal tumor, Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia * Hyperthyroidism or uncontrolled hypothyroidism (TSH \>7.0 mIU/mL) * Growth Hormone Deficiency * Medical conditions that would impact PA participation: Type 1 diabetes; Cardiovascular, neurologic, and/or musculoskeletal conditions limiting ability to participate in physical activity. * Other medical comorbidities that would limit generalizability of findings, including: Severe congenital heart disease, Congenital anomalies, Cystic fibrosis, Cerebral palsy, Condition requiring use of nasogastric, gastric tube, or other alternative method of feeding, Undiagnosed conditions with significant impact on child's growth and development; Significant cardiac, hepatic, oncologic, inflammatory, or psychiatric disease.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Retention12 monthsProportion of participants completing each study assessment point/coaching visit divided by total participants enrolled/eligible
Acceptability12 monthsIntervention rating as acceptable by parent-child dyads using validated measure (Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM)); The AIM score is reported on a scale of 0-4. 0 is the minimum and 4 is the maximum. Higher scores mean greater intervention acceptability

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Objectively Measured Physical Activity6 months, 12 monthsChange in MVPA (minutes/day) from baseline to 6-month and 12-month follow-up
Insulin SensitivityChange in HOMA-IR from baseline to 12-month follow-upAs measured by HOMA-IR (unitless; calculated based on product of fasting insulin and fasting glucose using standardized formula)
Free Androgen IndexBaseline to 12 month follow-upCalculated using Total Testosterone and SHBG

Countries

United States

Contacts

CONTACTRachel Whooten, MD MPH
rwhooten@mgh.harvard.edu6176434585

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 20, 2026