Background/Purpose: This pilot intervention study was designed to promote and improve attainment of recommended moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in rural Appalachian Ohio adolescents by using a physical activity self-report instrument (3DPAR) over a 3-week program.
Method: Data were obtained from March to April, 2011. Participants were 58 middle and high school students (average ±SD): age, weight, height, BMI, waist circumference 13.66±1.50 y, 62.96±20.89 kg, 163.23±9.71 cm, 23.42±6.77 kg/m2, respectively. Participants wore a sealed pedometer (New Lifestyles NL-1000) for 7 days at pre- and post-intervention to measure steps/day and MVPA min/day. For the intervention, participants recorded daily activity using the 3DPAR for three weeks.
Analysis/Results: 2x2 mixed factor ANOVAs were utilized to determine the effects of intervention participation on pre- versus post-intervention physical activity for the week (7D), weekdays (5D), and weekends (2D). No significant interactions or main effects were found for the 7D or 5D data. However, for the weekends, a significant interaction was found for MVPA time and steps (p=0.018 and p=0.033, respectively) in that the students who did complete all three weeks of the intervention significantly increased steps (5919.28±2997.39 versus 8764.83±4896.56 steps/day) and MVPA time (12.12±9.30 versus 24.38±19.60 min/day) compared to those who did not (5027.62±3324.95 versus 5360.98±3457.07 steps/day; 11.78±12.84 versus 13.98±15.32 min/day).
Conclusions: The study revealed that completing the PA self-report measure did not promote or improve steps or MVPA time during the weekdays. However, those who completed the intervention doubled weekend MVPA time and increased steps by approximately 3000 steps/day compared to those who did not.