A Mill Hill sports centre is playing a key role in a nationwide attempt to halt the growing childhood obesity epidemic.

The Virgin Active centre, in Langstone Way, is one of a number of fitness clubs across the country to join up with a school to encourage young women to be physically active and enjoy sport.

The national Go scheme, piloted at 100 schools 18 months ago by the Fitness Industry Association (FIA), is an attempt to stop teenaged girls dropping out of sports after research from the NHS and British Heart Foundation found that the majority of 15-year-old girls are officially "inactive".

Go encourages 15- and 16-year-old girls to stay fit by introducing them to a variety of innovative sports activities catered to their individual needs. Provided with training and DVD workshops, girls have the option to replace traditional sports with more innovative activities such as yoga, pilates, street dance, salsa, body combat and body pump.

There are now 400 UK schools participating in the programme, but FIA chief executive Andree Deane believes it needs to be implemented in every school across the UK to have a significant impact on the obesity problem. She hopes that an official NHS evaluation of the scheme between Kingsbury Hill School, in Brent, and the Mill Hill East Virgin Active centre, due to be published in the next few weeks, will convince the Government to increase funding to make this ambition realisable.

She said: "There is a massive drop-out rate among young girls doing sport around the age of 14, and this can last for a long, long time, if not forever.

"It is a real worry, because it is not happening because the girls are incapable of doing sport. It is due to image, self-esteem, not being cool.

"We want to change that. Our activities are cool and trendy and don't involve wearing skimpy shorts or gym knickers. There are not the normal pressures associated with them as with some other PE activities in schools.

"We are really hoping when this report comes out that it will not only be illuminating, but substantial and significant, and will encourage the Goverment to divert more funds into the project."

Carl McCartney, Virgin Active national group exercise and swimming manager, added: "The Go programme was a fantastic opportunity to put the fun element back into exercise.

"The social interaction that occurs during a group exercise class can not only produce fantastic health and fitness results, but also builds confidence and self esteem levels, which in turn can create positive exercise habits for the future."

Kingsbury Hill School pupil Priyanka Patel, 16, took salsa and aerobics classes for six weeks and said she would recommend the programme to others.

"By doing it in the gym we had the opportunity to learn new skills in an adult environment taught by a professional trainer.

"It was very different than normal sports lessons as we had a chance to socialise together and be with friends. It was more fun than normal classes.

"And they also taught us all the skills, so we can go and practice them at home."

Go programmes currently operating at three other schools in Brent will be evaluated by the NHS in June: Preston Manor High School, Claremont High School and Wembley High Technology College.

The FIA is the official Government trade association for health clubs and leisure centres. For more information about the Go programme visit fia.org.uk