ActiveGirls: Physical Activity, Hormone Health, and Diabetes Risk in Early Adolescence
Massachusetts General Hospital
Summary
This study explores how a physical activity program can affect hormone health and diabetes risk in girls ages 8-12 who may be at higher risk. The study aims to address: * Does the 'ActiveGirls' program meet the needs of girls and families in engaging them to increase physical activity? * What is the trend of markers of diabetes risk and puberty hormones over a 1-year period and how are these levels related to physical activity levels? Participants in this study will either: * Participate in a 'full' intensity intervention that includes educational messages (text/email) as well as health coaching visits to support physical activity over a 6 month period * Participate in a delayed 'lower intensity' intervention that includes only educational messages (text/email) * Participants in both groups will complete at-home activity monitoring, two study visits for check-ups and tests, and surveys
Description
This study is a pilot randomized trial to assess the preliminary feasibility and efficacy of a physical activity intervention enrolling peripubertal females. Participants will be assigned to the intensive intervention group with text messaging and health coaching versus delayed lower intensity comparison group with a lower intensity text-only intervention. Participants in both arms will complete objective measures of body composition, insulin dynamics, reproductive hormones, physical activity and fitness over a one-year period. Participants as well as a caregiver proxy will complete survey me…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 8+ years
- Sex
- Female
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Caregiver: Caregiver of child (ie mother, father, or other legal guardian), English-speaking, Access to a device where they are able to receive study e-mails or texts * Child: English-speaking, Female, ages 8-12 years old at time of enrollment, Pre-menarchal at time of baseline visit, at risk for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)/insulin resistance, as defined by (1) History of maternal PCOS/maternal GDM, (2) BMI \>/= 85th percentile, (3) History of premature adrenarche, or (4) Small (\<10th %ile) for gestational age Exclusion Criteria (Child): * Medications at time of…
Interventions
- BehavioralActiveGirls Physical Activity Program (Full)
Participants in the ActiveGirls Full Intensity intervention group will receive a series of 6 health coaching visits delivered via telemedicine. These visits will address physical activity goal setting within the family. Participants will also receive the ActiveGirls education messaging which will include 3-4 text messages per week (Months 1-6 of their study participation).
- BehavioralActiveGirls Physical Activity Program (Delayed Lower Intensity)
Participants in this group will only receive the ActiveGirls education messaging which will include 3-4 text messages per week (Months 7-12 of their study participation)
Location
- Massachusetts General HospitalSomerville, Massachusetts