These researchers evaluated the feasibility of a 6-week after-school exercise and lifestyle programme designed to improve cardiorespiratory fitness, health and usual activity in less-active Pacific and Māori adolescents. The programme recruited 18 less-active secondary school students (13 were Pacific ethnicity and 5 were Māori), who participated in 3 x 1.5 hour exercise and healthy lifestyle sessions per week. An average of just over 50% of students attended each session. Outcomes data are reported for 16 participants who completed the 6-week follow-up. At baseline, the mean age of all study participants was 16.3 years, BMI 35.2 kg/m2 , VO2max 31.5 mL/kg/min, systolic blood pressure (BP) 125.0 mm Hg, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) 39.9 mmol/mol, and fasting serum insulin 28.3 μU/mL. At follow-up, improvements had occurred in VO2max (3.2 mL/kg/min; p=0.02), systolic BP (–10.6 mm Hg; p=0.003), HbA1c (–1.1 mmol/mol; p=0.03) and weekly vigorous (4 hours, p=0.002) and moderate (2 hours, p=0.006) physical activity, although waist circumference increased (p=0.005). Comments were mostly positive.
