Randomized Controlled Trial of a Primary Care and Home-Based Intervention for Physical Activity and Nutrition Behaviors

Objective: Many adolescents do not meet national guidelines for participation in regular moderate or vigorous physical activity (PA); limitations on sedentary behaviors; or dietary intake of fruits and vegetables, fiber, or total dietary fat.This study evaluated a health carebased intervention to improve these behaviors.Design: Randomized controlled trial.Setting: Primary care with follow-up at home.Participants: Eight hundred seventy-eight adolescent girls and boys aged 11 to 15 years.Interventions: Two experimental conditions: (1) Primary care, office-based, computer-assisted diet and PA assessment and stage-based goal setting followed by brief health care provider counseling and 12 months of monthly mail and telephone counseling and (2) a comparison condition addressing sun exposure protection.