A school-based intervention program in promoting leisure-time physical activity: trial protocol.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Behavioral Science
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Obesity management requires regular moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).
• School-based physical education (PE) can promote lifelong physical activity (PA) but its impact on body composition is debated.
• Targeting PA benefits and barriers within PE may enhance health behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a school-based intervention promoting leisure-time PA and reducing BMI in overweight students.
• To investigate the intervention's effectiveness using the Theory of Planned Behavior.
• To explore the relationship between school-based PA promotion and body composition.

Main Methods:

• A 4-week intervention with persuasive messages delivered during PE lessons.
• 171 secondary school students participated in control and intervention conditions.
• Objective (accelerometers) and subjective (questionnaires) measures assessed PA levels and behavioral determinants.

Main Results:

• The intervention promoted sustained participation in leisure-time physical activity.
• Overweight students showed reduced body mass index (BMI) post-intervention.
• The study addressed discrepancies between objective and subjective PA measurements.

Conclusions:

• A cost-effective, school-based intervention can effectively reduce BMI in overweight students.
• Targeted persuasive messages in PE enhance leisure-time physical activity participation.
• This approach supports sustainable health behavior change in young people.