Evaluating the effectiveness of ‘mentoring to be active’ for rural Appalachian middle school youth on physical activity and dietary sugar consumption during ‘out of school’ time

ABSTRACT Appalachian youth are highconsumers of added dietary sugar and are very sedentary. Mentoring to be Active trains teens to deliver atheoretically based program to promote home-based physical activity (PA) and reduce dietary sugar among rural Appalachian youth. For this pre-test/post-test pilot study, 52 seventh graders from two Appalachian schools participated as mentees. Twenty-two 10th grade students served as peer mentors. The study estimated sedentary activity,and physical activity by accelerometers and dietary sugars (snacks, beverages) during ‘out of school’ time. Descriptive statistics and effect sizes (ES) were calculated. When the pre-post standard deviations differed, Hedge’s g were reported. Sedentary activity decreased 36.7% (ES = .798). Moderate activity levels increased 16.5% (ES = .359). Vigorous activity increased 88% (ES = .359). Sugary- beverages declined over 4 ½ servings. Sugary snacks declined 2 ¼ servings. Peer mentoring is a strategy to promote social support for healthier behaviors among youth at risk for obesity and co-morbidities. Accelerometers rigorously assessed physical activity during ‘out of school’ time in rural youth.