Improvements in Heart Health Behaviors and Reduction in Coronary Artery Disease Risk Factors in Urban Teenaged Girls Through a School-Based Intervention: The PATH Program
Marcia Bayne-Smith, DSW,
Paul S. Fardy, PhD,
Ann Azzollini, MS,
John Magel, PhD,
Kathryn H. Schmitz, PhD and
Denise Agin, EdD
Marcia Bayne-Smith is with the Department of Urban Studies, Queens College, City University of New York (CUNY), Flushing, New York. Paul S. Fardy, Ann Azzollini, and John R. Magel are with the Department of Family Nutrition and Exercise Sciences, Queens College, CUNY, Flushing, New York. Kathryn H. Schmitz is with the Division of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn. Denise Agin is with the Department of Health and Physical Education, York CollegeCUNY, Jamaica, New York.
Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Marcia Bayne-Smith, DSW, MSW, Department of Urban Studies, Powdermaker HallRoom 250 R, Queens College, CUNY, 6530 Kissena Blvd, Flushing, NY 11367 (e-mail: marcia_smith{at}qc.edu).
Objectives. We sought to assess the effects of a school-basedintervention program on cardiovascular disease risk factorsin urban girls.
Methods. We compared heart health knowledge, health behaviors,cardiovascular risk factors, and physical fitness among a groupof 442 multiethnic teenaged girls (310 experimental participantsvs 132 control participants). Testing was conducted before andafter a 12-week program of vigorous exercises integrated withlectures and discussions on diet, exercise, stress, and smoking.
Results. Significant differences in body fat, systolic and diastolicblood pressure, heart health knowledge, and whether breakfastwas eaten were observed between experimental participants andcontrol participants.
Conclusions. An integrated program of exercise and heart healthrelatedlectures and discussions had a beneficial effect on health knowledge,health behaviors, and onset of risk factors for coronary arterydisease among urban girls.
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