Conference Agenda

Background and Aim: Low physical activity (PA) among adolescent girls is a well-documented global public health concern. PA programmes designed to increase their activity levels can be effective, however, the impact of these programmes depends on successfully recruiting girls into them. This study aimed to develop consensus-derived recommendations for recruiting adolescent girls into PA programmes.

Methods: Underpinned by a prior systematic review of recruitment strategies, a three-round modified Delphi study (May-June 2024) was conducted with two independent panels of PA providers (n=23) and adolescent girls (n=20) to establish consensus on recommended strategies for recruiting adolescent girls into PA programmes.

Results: Consensus indicated that encouragement, timely reminders, and practical logistic support, especially from teachers, were central to recruitment. Agreement emerged on the value of supportive friends and instructors, clear, transparent communication about programme atmosphere and activities, opportunities to try activities prior to enrolment through low-pressure “taster” sessions, and programme environments that prioritise fun and minimise competitiveness. Disagreement emerged regarding the value of fitness testing and traditional gyms as the setting for PA participation. The study produced a consolidated set of consensus-based recruitment strategies agreed by both panels.

Conclusion: These findings provide practical, stakeholder-informed guidance for improving recruitment into PA programmes for adolescent girls. Providers might use these recommendations as a working framework for enhancing recruitment practices, while policymakers may find them useful when considering how workforce training and resource allocation can better support girls' PA participation. Further empirical research should evaluate the effectiveness of these consensus-based strategies in real-world programme settings.