Effectiveness of structured interventional strategy for middle-aged adolescence (SISMA-PA) for preventing atherosclerotic risk factors-A study protocol.

BACKGROUND

Atherosclerotic risk starts at an early stage in adolescents and interventions on adolescents' lifestyles are most important. The pandemic of obesity-related morbidities like atherosclerosis among young adults and atherosclerotic risk factors for middle-aged adolescents in India is known. Yet, there is a lack of cost-effective and integrated intervention programs to treat this important health problem.

OBJECTIVE

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of a 12-week structured interventional strategy program, containing integrated education and supervised physical activity interventions for middle-aged adolescents.

METHODS/DESIGN: This will be a school-based pre-experimental one-group pre-post time-series research design. The sample size is estimated to include 154 adolescents of 10th to 12th grade; aged 15-17 years will be grouped as a single arm. Data will be collected from July 2021 to January 2022. The intervention duration will be 3 months. The following measures will be evaluated before, during, and after intervention: knowledge, body mass index, level of physical activity, dietary habits, and sedentary activity.

DISCUSSION

We believe that the structured interventional strategy approach which includes education related to atherosclerosis, physical activity, dietary habits, and sedentary activity, and cost-effective physical activity training will be more effective in preventing atherosclerotic-related changes among middle-aged adolescents. Further, this kind of approach may be applied in similar study areas elsewhere in India.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinical Trials Registry-India (Registered Number: CTRI/2021/03/032271).