Fit for Life Boy Scout badge: outcome evaluation of a troop and Internet intervention.
BACKGROUND
This study reports the results of a 9-week intervention on the physical activity levels of adolescent males.


METHODS
Participants were 473 10- to 14-year-old Houston Boy Scouts (42 troops) with troops randomly assigned to intervention or control conditions. Data were collected in spring (16 troops) and fall (26 troop) waves during 2003. Intervention participants received a 9-week troop and Internet program to increase physical activity skills, self-efficacy and goal-setting. Physical activity was assessed at baseline, end of the intervention (Post#1) and post-6 months (Post#2) by accelerometer. Minutes of sedentary, light and moderate to vigorous physical activity were calculated. Repeated measure analyses were performed to test differences in physical activity over time between groups with participants nested in troops.


RESULTS
A three-way interaction (group * time * wave) that approached significance (P = 0.051) indicated a 12-min reduction in sedentary behavior among spring intervention participants. A significant three-way interaction (P = 0.011) (group * time * wave) indicated a 12-min increase in light intensity activity among the spring intervention group.


CONCLUSIONS
Participation in the Fit for Life badge program resulted in a trend towards a small decrease in sedentary behavior and increased light intensity physical activity among spring participants only. There was no effect on moderate to vigorous physical activity.
Jago
Russell
R
Department of Exercise and Health Sciences, Centre for Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Bristol, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TP, UK. russ.jago@gmail.com
Baranowski
Tom
T
Baranowski
Janice C
JC
Thompson
Debbe
D
Cullen
Karen W
KW
Watson
Kathy
K
Liu
Yan
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006040:Goals; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009939:Organizations, Nonprofit; D010379:Peer Group; D015397:Program Evaluation; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013781:Texas; D014584:User-Computer Interface