Is team sport the key to getting everybody active, every day? A systematic review of physical activity interventions aimed at increasing girls' participation in team sport

Allison, Rosalie; Bird, Emma; McClean, Stuart

Abstract

Background
It is estimated that 21% of boys and 16% of girls in England meet recommended physical activity guidelines. Team sport has the potential to increase physical activity level; however, studies show that gender-based factors can influence girls’ participation in team sport. Furthermore, evidence for the effectiveness of interventions promoting team sport among girls is limited. This systematic review aimed to assess the impact of physical activity interventions on secondary school-aged girls’ (age 11-18) participation in team sport and to identify potential strategies for increasing participation.
Methods
Electronic databases and grey literature were systematically searched for studies of interventions targeting team sport participation among girls in the UK. Results were exported to Refworks, duplicates removed and eligible studies identified. Extracted data included: participant details, such as sample size and age; components of the intervention; outcomes assessed; and each study was quality appraised. Due to heterogeneity across studies, results were presented narratively.
Results
Four studies sourced from the grey literature met the inclusion criteria. Findings suggest that physical activity interventions can encourage girls to try new sports, but evidence is limited in relation to sustained participation. Potential strategies for promoting participation included: consultation with girls, implementation of appropriate peer-leaders and friendship group strategies, early intervention and consideration of intervention setting.
Conclusions
This review highlights the limited availability of evidence on the effectiveness of physical activity interventions for promoting team sport participation among girls in the UK. Findings indicate that future research is needed to improve the methodological quality of complex intervention evaluation. Physical activity interventions may have the potential to encourage girls to try team sport, but their impact on sustained participation, and subsequent physical activity outcomes, is less apparent.

• Presentation Conference Type: Poster
• Conference Name: South West Public Health Scientific Conference
• Start Date: Mar 14, 2017
• End Date: Mar 14, 2017
• Acceptance Date: Dec 1, 2016
• Publication Date: Mar 14, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 7, 2019
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: team sport, active, every day, systematic review, physical activity, interventions, increasing, girls', participation, team sport
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/896893
• Additional Information: Title of Conference or Conference Proceedings : South West Public Health Scientific Conference