Systematic Review Shows Only Few Reliable Studies of Physical Activity Intervention in Adolescents

Table 1

Summary of characteristics and results of studies with STROBE > 70%.

Study	Sample	Design	Measure	Intervention program	Outcomes
Amaro et al. [9]	𝑛=291; 11 to 14 years; Both sexes	Experimental—two groups: randomization and intervention and control group; Nonschool physical activity	BMI; Kalèdo questionnaire to assess knowledge about; nutrition (31 items),; physical Activity (eight items),; food intake (34 items)	Six-month follow-up; Subjects played only once for 15 to 30 min and after six months were reevaluated; BMI was assessed for all subjects	There was no significant difference in average daily time spent in physical activities between intervention (2.1 h, 95% CI 1.9 to 2.3) and control groups (2.2 h, 95% CI 2.0 to 2.4); Knowledge about nutrition showed no difference between intervention and control groups (𝑃<0.05); Knowledge about food intake showed no difference between intervention and control groups (𝑃<0.01)
Bush et al. [10]	𝑛=221; 11 to 16 years; Both sexes	Experimental—two groups: randomization and intervention and control group; Nonschool physical activity	Physical activity leisure: satisfaction in physical activity, frequency of participation in program	Six-month follow-up; (a) First 16 weeks—fun activities; (b) Half of the implementation phase—program changes according to the popularity of activities and research answers	No increased leisure physical activity and satisfaction in physical activity in the intervention group; Participation in the program: 63% for boys and 78% for girls
Hovell et al. [11]	𝑛=117; 10 to 13 years; Both sexes	Experimental—two groups: randomization and Intervention and Control group; Nonschool physical activity	Demographics—ethnicity, parental education: diet—24-hour recall; physical activity—24-hour recall; DXA-BMD and body composition; weight; height	36-month follow-up; Each session lasted 3 months; Procedure of parental training—90 minutes of instruction for 8 weeks; Procedure of children training—90 min of instruction for 8 weeks with 60 min of physical activity	Intervention increased 25% calcium intake; Intervention attenuated the decline in high-impact physical activity
Huhman et al. [12]	𝑛=2257; 9 to 13 years; Both sexes	A pre-/postintervention; cohort group; Nonschool physical activity	YMCLS: (a) nonschool physical activity; (b) physical activity in the last 7 days; (c) physical activity the day before intervention	Psychosocial dimensions of physical activity followed for 24 months.; (a) Expectations: beliefs about the benefits of participating in physical activities.; (b) Self-efficacy: confidence to overcome obstacles in the practice of physical activity.; (c) Social influences: the influence of family and colleagues.	Dose-response effect: (a) exercise—the day before intervention; (b) average number of sessions; (c) during spare time; positive effect on psychosocial scales, social influences, and self-efficacy
Jago et al. [13]	𝑛=4063; 11 to 13 years; Both sexes	Experimental—two groups: randomization and intervention and control group; Nonschool physical activity	Nonschool physical activity, nutrition	66-month follow-up; (a) Complete change of school meals; (b) Change in behavior to improve health; (c) Social marketing to increase water consumption, encourage physical activity, differentiate food qualities, and energy balance	Two thirds of boys and one third of girls showed low fitness levels at baseline; Time of moderate to vigorous physical activity at baseline: 96 min for control and 103 min for intervention; There was no statistical difference in fitness and levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity
Lubans et al. [14]	𝑛=106; 14.1 (±0.8) years; Both sexes	Experimental—two groups: randomization and intervention and control group; Nonschool physical activity	Physical activity—pedometer; SPANS—sedentary behavior and diet	6-month follow-up; Once a week, the content of school sports was presented; Daily sending of text message to increase health levels	The intervention group increased step counting/days compared to the control group (956 to 4107 steps/day—boys; and 999 to 1999 for girls); The intervention group had no significant effect on any sedentary behavior
Rosenberg et al. [15]	𝑛=878; 10 to 15 years; Both sexes	Experimental—two groups: randomization and intervention and control group; Nonschool physical activity	PAR: accelerometer, time spent in sedentary activity, demographics	12-month follow-up; The result of the physical activity recall was converted into METs; The covariation of the change in diet, physical activity, and sedentary behavior was examined	No covariation was found between physical activity and sedentary behavior, physical activity and diet, or diet and sedentary behavior

YMCLS: youth media campaign longitudinal survey; SPANS: schools physical activity and nutrition study.