Citation

Trilk JL, Pate RR, Pfeiffer KA, Dowda M, Addy CL, Ribisl KM, Neumark-Sztainer D, Lytle LA. J. Adolesc. Health 2012; 51(3): 292-298.

Affiliation

Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.12.021

PMID

22921141

PMCID

PMC3428590

Abstract

PURPOSE: To identify similar patterns of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior in sixth-grade girls using cluster analysis; to determine which clusters of girls were associated with greater daily minutes of objectively measured PA; and to examine whether girls in these clusters experienced change in PA from sixth to eighth grade. METHODS: An adventitious cohort of girls (n = 957) from the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls were measured at sixth and eighth grade. Activities were identified using the 3-day physical activity recall and a self-report survey and used to create clusters of sixth-grade girls who had similar PA/sedentary behaviors. Accelerometry was used to assess PA in sixth and eighth grade. Data analysis consisted of FASTCLUS procedure and mixed model repeated measures analyses in SAS statistical software. RESULTS: Cluster analysis yielded six clusters (C1: educational sedentary; C2: sports and play; C3: organized sports teams/classes/lessons in past year; C4: active transport and chores; C5: electronic media; C6: sleep). Sixth-grade girls in C2 and C3 had greater average daily minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), metabolic equivalent of a physical activity-weighted MVPA, and vigorous physical activity compared with other clusters (p < .05). In eighth grade, sedentary time increased and PA declined among girls in all clusters (p < .05). Girls in C2 had the greatest decline in PA, whereas girls' PA in C3 declined less. CONCLUSIONS: Encouraging participation in organized sports teams/class/lessons in middle school girls may promote greater MVPA and vigorous physical activity than other activities and may help to better sustain PA levels over time.

Language: en