Virtual Umra: An Interdisciplinary Faith-Based Pedometer Intervention for Increasing Steps at School.

Background: Curriculum interventions aimed at increasing physical activity in schools may prove useful in contexts where changes in policy/environment are not feasible. Design/evaluation of interventions targeting minority groups is important in light of well-publicized health disparities. Religious minorities represent a special subset that may positively respond to interventions tailored to their unique beliefs, which to date have been relatively underreported. Methods: Muslim American youth (n = 45) attending a parochial middle school participated in a religiously- and culturally-tailored 8-wk, interdisciplinary pedometer intervention. Schooltime ambulatory activity was quantified using a delayed multiple-baseline across subjects ABA design. Visual analysis of graphic data as well as repeated-measures ANOVA and ANCOVA and post hoc contrasts were used to analyze step counts including the moderating effects of day type (PE, no-PE), gender, BMI classification, grade, and time. Results: The intervention elicited modest increases in males' steps only with effect decay beginning midintervention. BMI classification and grade were not associated with changes in steps. Conclusions: Full curricular integration by affected classroom teachers, staff modeling of PA behavior, and alternative curriculum for girls' PE classes may further potentiate the intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]