Moorefit – increasing physical activity in adolescent girls using the Health Promoting Schools framework

Issue addressed Physical activity levels in girls are known to decline from puberty onwards, with long-term adverse health implications. This project addressed the issue of physical inactivity in one girls' government high school with a population of more than 800 students from mainly non-English speaking backgrounds. Methods The project used the results of a thorough needs assessment and strong partnerships to develop strategies to increase students' physical activity within the Health Promoting Schools framework. Strategies covered the curriculum, the physical, social and organisational environments of the school and partnerships, including links with parents and community agencies. Results Evaluation used quantitative and qualitative methods. At post, a significantly higher percentage of the intervention group compared with a historical control group was moderately (adequately) active and a lower percentage was inadequately active (2=14.8, p<0.01). Changes in participation occurred during school hours. Rates of participation in many of the non-competitive activities introduced by the project increased. Conclusions This study showed that physical activity levels of adolescent girls could be favourably influenced within the school setting.