Enhanced PE classes |
40x45 minutes |
PE classes were delivered by PE teachers for 6 months. The classes included a range of lifetime and lifestyle PA organized into 5 week units. Activities included warm-up/stretching, jogging, dance, skipping rope, and resistance training |
Efficient development of specific goals; Information on consequences of health behaviors; Efficient intention formation; Have instructions on the health behaviors; Overcoming barriers; General motivation; Progressive tasks |
Self-efficacy; Social support; Intentions; Outcome expectations |
PA during recess |
14x15 minutes |
Participants invited other students to engage in PA sessions during recess. Participants directed the sessions with lifetime PA learned during PE classes, under the PE teacher’s supervision |
Friends role modeling or demonstration of behaviors; Progressive tasks; Efficient identification as a role model |
Peer support; Self-efficacy; Outcome expectations and expectancies |
Weekly nutritional and PA key messages |
10x20 minutes |
Participants received nutritional and PA messages for 10 weeks, delivered by trained research assistants during recess for 15-20 minutes. The messages were delivered once a week and the topics followed the agenda of the nutrition and PA handbooks, i.e., once every other week on nutrition and PA |
Information on nutrition and PA behaviors; Progressive tasks; General motivation; Friends role modeling/friends change; Adequate self-monitoring of the behaviors; Overcoming barriers |
Self-efficacy; Social support; Behavioral strategies; Home environment; Outcome expectations and expectancies |
Nutrition and PA handbook |
10 weeks |
The girls received the 10 key nutritional and PA messages through a handbook. The handbook has information, home challenges, and family activities planned to promote nutrition and PA for participants and their families |
Information on nutrition and PA behaviors; Adequate self-monitoring of the behaviors; Family support/change |
Self-efficacy; Social support; Intentions; Behavioral strategies; Outcome expectations and expectancies |
Interactive seminars |
3x60 minutes |
Girls attended on three interactive workshops delivered by two dietitians, which reinforced the 10 nutrition and PA keys messages. The seminars reinforced the nutrition and PA guidelines and behavioral strategies to support students PA sessions during recess and at home |
Information on nutrition and PA behaviors; Adequate self-monitoring of behaviors; Social support/social change; Overcoming barriers |
Self-efficacy; Behavioral strategies; Social support; Home environment; Intentions; Outcome expectations and expectancies |
Nutrition workshops |
3x90 minutes |
Girls participated in three workshops delivered by two dietitians that provided dietary information and focused preparation of healthy and inexpensive meals. Activities were planned to develop lifetime nutrition skills that help maintain healthy nutrition and included: energy balance and kilocalories concept, food label information, recipe changes and preparations, the “diet” and “light” concepts, adequate food portion size, food pyramid, and smart food choices |
Food and nutrition information; Role modeling or demonstrate on behaviors; Progressive tasks |
Self-efficacy; Intentions; Home environment; Outcome expectations and expectancies |
Parents’ newsletter |
2nd and 3rd school terms (4 total) |
Parents/caregivers received newsletters describing the study, their daughters’ baseline health behaviors and nutritional status, and encouragement to support their children’s healthy nutrition and PA behaviors at home |
Feedback on the girls’ performance; Family support on healthy behaviors; General motivation; Having information on nutrition and PA behaviors |
Self-efficacy; Social support; Home environment; Outcome expectations and expectancies |
Text messages |
2nd and 3rd terms twice/week |
Twice weekly the girls received text messages encouraging healthy eating, more PA, and less time in sedentary activities. In each intervention school, a text message group was created for more interaction between participants and the moderator. Girls without cell phones received these messages via e-mail |
Plan social support/social change; General motivation; Information on nutrition and PA behaviors; Overcoming barriers |
Social support; Outcome expectations and expectancies; Self-efficacy |
Dietary/ PA diaries |
3rd term |
Girls were encouraged to use dietary and PA diaries to encourage goal-setting and self-monitoring behaviors |
Efficient self-monitoring; Efficient specific goal-setting |
Self-efficacy; Outcome expectations and expectancies; Behavioral strategies |