Nurse-Led Interventions on Selected Physiological Parameters Among Pre-Teen Girls: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Pre-teen girls, aged 9 to 12, undergo crucial developmental changes during puberty, impacting their physiological, psychological and social well-being. Among pre-teen girls, elevated BMI levels are associated with an increased risk of developing comorbidities, like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. This study is aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a nurse-led intervention on Body Mass Index (BMI), total cholesterol, sr.estrodiol and Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) among pre-teen girls. Methods: A randomized controlled trial design was adopted to study 100 pre-pubertal girls from 8 to 12 years, divided into intervention and control groups. Each group consisted of 50 participants. The nurse led a physical activities program consisted of 30-minute daily aerobic exercises combined with parent counselling for twelve weeks. The control group received usual care, the BMI was taken four times, pre-test and post-test at 1 month, 2 month and 3 month. Serum total cholesterol, estradiol and TSH were measured two times, pre-test and post-test at 3month. Results: The research outcomes indicate a significant improvement BMI among the experimental group over the three-month study period, while the control group showed no changes, (p<0.001). The experimental group demonstrated a significant decline in estradiol level between pre-test and 3 months (p=0.009) although there were no significant changes found in Total cholesterol or TSH results. Conclusion: The study provides evidence for the effectiveness of the intervention in controlling BMI among the experimental group while maintaining stable biochemical profiles. Overall, the study highlights the need for continued efforts to develop and implement effective weight management strategies between body weight, hormonal balance and socio-demographic factors.