YouR Action.

Background:
Computer-tailored health education may be especially suited to address complicated health-related behaviors such as physical activity (PA). PA is associated with important public health issues of today such as overweight, cardio-vascular diseases, and certain cancers. Furthermore, web-based computer-tailored health education might best appeal to the -Internet generation-, i.e. younger people, including children and adolescents. Physical activity patterns are established in childhood and adolescence and declines in PA have been observed between first year of secondary school and third year of secondary school. Therefore PA should be encouraged in young people. Most intervention to date have focussed only on motivational factors to be active. However, recent theory and evidence suggests that environmental opportunities to be active might also be important.
Objective:
The present study proposes to test the effectiveness of web-based computer-tailored PA interventions aimed at adolescents in the first year of secondary school (12-13 years old). One version will target only motivational determinants, the other on top of that also environmental opportunities to be physically active Methods: We will test this application in a real-life implementation environment in a cluster randomized controlled trial with randomization on class level. The follow-up periods will be one month and six months. Primary outcome indicators will be physical activity and physical activity sub-behaviours measured by a self-administered questionnaire. Secondary outcomes will be objectively meaured PA, Body Mass Index and Waist circumference, measured by trained research staff and psychosocial determinants of PA behaviours, and perceptions of opportunities to be physically active measured with self-administered questionnaires.

1. The intervention groups will have more favourable outcomes on the targeted behaviours and BMI, compared to the control group at follow-up;

2. The "motivational and environmental" tailored intervention group will have more favourable outcomes on the targeted behaviours, compared to the motivational only tailored group at follow-up;

3. The intervention groups will be more aware of their risk behaviours, having more favorable perceptions of the opportunities to be active in their neighbourhood and have more positive attitudes, perceived behavioural control and intentions for their physical activity behaviours, compared to the control group at follow-up;

4. The "motivational and environmental" tailored intervention group will have more favorable outcomes on perceptions of opportunities to be active in their neighbourhood compared to the motivational only intervention group.



In addition to testing these main hypotheses, secondary analysis will be performed to answer other relevant research questions.

1. September-October 2009: Baseline measurements;

2. October-November 2009: Intervention use;

3. November-December 2009: Short term follow-up measurements;

4. May-June 2010: Long term follow-up measurements.

Motivational only tailored group:
The pupils in the motivational only tailored group will receive a computer tailored intervention targetting motivational factors (attitude, perceived behavioral control, subjective norm, awareness, implementation intentions).



Environmental and motivational tailored group:
Pupils in the environmental and motivational tailored group will receive the same intervention as the motivational only tailored group, but this is extended by use of GoogleMaps to target perceptions of opportunities to be active in their environment.



Control group:
The control group will receive a non-tailored webbased intervention on physical activity and sports.



All pupils will have the same exposure to the interventions. The interventions will be used during 3 schoolhours (45 minutes each).