Moderators in a physical activity intervention for adolescent girls.

Moderators of physical activity intervention effects among adolescent girls are important to identify because the effectiveness of these interventions to date in this population has been limited. This article contributes to the notable gap in knowledge regarding moderators in physical activity interventions involving adolescent girls, particularly baseline characteristics that may moderate their responses to physical activity interventions. Awareness of the moderators can be useful for determining the type of intervention that may be successful in subgroups of adolescent girls and for tailoring a physical activity intervention to optimally meet each girl's needs to achieve maximal effects. Findings show that weight status moderated the intervention effects on cardiorespiratory fitness. Compared to the control condition, the intervention increased overweight and obese, but not healthy weight, girls' cardiorespiratory fitness. A physical activity intervention can improve overweight and obese girls' cardiorespiratory fitness, possibly attenuating their cardiovascular risk. Therefore, it is essential to include overweight and obese girls in PA interventions to help them reap this important benefit.