title: A school-based intervention incorporating smartphone technology to improve health-related fitness among adolescents: rationale and study protocol for the NEAT and ATLAS 2.0 cluster randomised controlled trial and dissemination study.
abstract: Physical inactivity has been described as a global pandemic. Interventions aimed at developing skills in lifelong physical activities may provide the foundation for an active lifestyle into adulthood. In general, school-based physical activity interventions targeting adolescents have produced modest results and few have been designed to be 'scaled-up' and disseminated. This study aims to: (1) assess the effectiveness of two physical activity promotion programmes (ie, NEAT and ATLAS) that have been modified for scalability; and (2) evaluate the dissemination of these programmes throughout government funded secondary schools.
  
  
  
  The study will be conducted in two phases. In the first phase (cluster randomised controlled trial), 16 schools will be randomly allocated to the intervention or a usual care control condition. In the second phase, the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance (Re-AIM) framework will be used to guide the design and evaluation of programme dissemination throughout New South Wales (NSW), Australia. In both phases, teachers will be trained to deliver the NEAT and ATLAS programmes, which will include: (1) interactive student seminars; (2) structured physical activity programmes; (3) lunch-time fitness sessions; and (4) web-based smartphone apps. In the cluster RCT, study outcomes will be assessed at baseline, 6 months (primary end point) and 12-months. Muscular fitness will be the primary outcome and secondary outcomes will include: objectively measured body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, flexibility, resistance training skill competency, physical activity, self-reported recreational screen-time, sleep, sugar-sweetened beverage and junk food snack consumption, self-esteem and well-being.
  
  
  
  This study has received approval from the University of Newcastle (H-2014-0312) and the NSW Department of Education (SERAP: 2012121) human research ethics committees. This study is funded by the Australian Research Council (FT140100399) and the NSW Department of Education.
  
  
  
  ACTRN12615000360516; Pre-results.
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Education, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Lubans
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Education, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Jordan J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Education and Social work, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Louisa R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Peralta
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Education, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Ronald C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Plotnikoff
authors.affiliation: Early Start Research Institute, School of Education, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Anthony D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Okely
authors.affiliation: School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Jo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salmon
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Education, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Narelle
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eather
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Education, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Deborah L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Dewar
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Education, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, Strathfield, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lonsdale
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Education, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Toni A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Hilland
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburgh, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Estabrooks
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Education, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Tara L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Finn
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Education, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pollock
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Education, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Philip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Morgan
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006078:Government Programs; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength; D009517:New South Wales; D012107:Research Design; D012572:School Health Services / Q000191:economics; D012574:Schools; D000068997:Smartphone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013334:Students
keywords: Adolescents; Behaviour change; Physical activity; Physical fitness; Resistance Training