Improvements in heart health behaviors and reduction in coronary artery disease risk factors in urban teenaged girls through a school-based intervention: the PATH program.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to assess the effects of a school-based intervention program on cardiovascular disease risk factors in urban girls.


METHODS
We compared heart health knowledge, health behaviors, cardiovascular risk factors, and physical fitness among a group of 442 multiethnic teenaged girls (310 experimental participants vs 132 control participants). Testing was conducted before and after a 12-week program of vigorous exercises integrated with lectures and discussions on diet, exercise, stress, and smoking.


RESULTS
Significant differences in body fat, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart health knowledge, and whether breakfast was eaten were observed between experimental participants and control participants.


CONCLUSIONS
An integrated program of exercise and heart health-related lectures and discussions had a beneficial effect on health knowledge, health behaviors, and onset of risk factors for coronary artery disease among urban girls.
Bayne-Smith
Marcia
M
Department of Urban Studies, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing 11367, USA. marcia_smith@qc.edu
Fardy
Paul S
PS
Azzollini
Ann
A
Magel
John
J
Schmitz
Kathryn H
KH
Agin
Denise
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors