Effect of Physical Activity Interventions for Girls on Objectively Measured Outcomes: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

Introduction: Most girls are not meeting physical activity (PA) guidelines, and 30% are overweight or obese. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence for PA intervention effects on accelerometer-measured PA, body mass index (BMI), and percent body fat (% BF) among girls. Methods: The Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PubMed, PsychInfo, and SportDISCUS databases were searched for randomized controlled trials published from 1985-2014. Studies with a PA intervention and outcomes of accelerometer-measured PA, BMI, or % BF were included. Results: Fifteen studies were reviewed. PA, BMI, and % BF were measured in 5, 15, and 10 studies, respectively. Effect sizes (ES) were highly variable. In one intervention, PA increased (ES = -0.17 to 0.08); in two interventions, BMI was reduced (ES = -0.11 to 0.62); and in five interventions, % BF was lowered (ES = 0.12 to 0.93). Discussion: Future research should involve preadolescent girls, improve methods for handling missing data, include objective measures of PA, and increase intervention attendance rates.