BACKGROUND: With the aim of contributing to he Healthy Goal 2010 of reducing significantly the prevalence of childhood obesity we developed and implemented during 2003 and 2004, a school-based obesity prevention intervention which included nutrition education and the promotion of physical activity. AIM: To report the results of the intervention. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The sample included 1760 children (1st to 7th grade) from 3 elementary public schools in Casablanca (experimental group) and 671 from a similar school located in Quillota, a neighboring city (control). Primary outcomes were body mass index (BMI) Z score, the mile and shuttle-run tests and obesity prevalence. We also compared changes in waist circumference and triceps skinfold between both groups. Effectiveness of the intervention was assessed by analyzing separately the group *age* time interaction for the first 3 outcomes (follow-up-baseline), using a mixed model of covariance and by comparing variations in obesity prevalence between both groups. RESULTS: There was a significant decline in BMI Z scores in experimental schools for both genders, but greater in boys (p <0.001 versus p =0.0034 in girls), while in controls, BMI Z scores increased. Obesity prevalence declined significantly in experimental schools; from 17 to 12.3% and from 14.1 to 10.3% in boys and girls respectively, while in the control group, it remained unchanged. Also, triceps skinfold in girls from Casablanca increased significantly less than that of control girls. CONCLUSION: This intervention proved that it is possible to reduce significantly the prevalence of obesity in Chilean schoolchildren attending public elementary schools.
BACKGROUND: With the aim of contributing to he Healthy Goal 2010 of reducing significantly the prevalence of childhood obesity we developed and implemented during 2003 and 2004, a school-based obesity prevention intervention which included nutrition education and the promotion of physical activity. AIM: To report the results of the intervention. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The sample included 1760 children (1st to 7th grade) from 3 elementary public schools in Casablanca (experimental group) and 671 from a similar school located in Quillota, a neighboring city (control). Primary outcomes were body mass index (BMI) Z score, the mile and shuttle-run tests and obesity prevalence. We also compared changes in waist circumference and triceps skinfold between both groups. Effectiveness of the intervention was assessed by analyzing separately the group *age* time interaction for the first 3 outcomes (follow-up-baseline), using a mixed model of covariance and by comparing variations in obesity prevalence between both groups. RESULTS: There was a significant decline in BMI Z scores in experimental schools for both genders, but greater in boys (p <0.001 versus p =0.0034 in girls), while in controls, BMI Z scores increased. Obesity prevalence declined significantly in experimental schools; from 17 to 12.3% and from 14.1 to 10.3% in boys and girls respectively, while in the control group, it remained unchanged. Also, triceps skinfold in girls from Casablanca increased significantly less than that of control girls. CONCLUSION: This intervention proved that it is possible to reduce significantly the prevalence of obesity in Chilean schoolchildren attending public elementary schools.
Authors: Jaime Céspedes; German Briceño; Michael E Farkouh; Rajesh Vedanthan; Jorge Baxter; Martha Leal; Paolo Boffetta; Marilyn Hunn; Rodolfo Dennis; Valentin Fuster Journal: Am J Med Date: 2013-12 Impact factor: 4.965
Authors: Denise O Shoeps; Luiz Carlos de Abreu; Vitor E Valenti; Viviane G Nascimento; Adriana G de Oliveira; Paulo R Gallo; Rubens Wajnsztejn; Claudio Leone Journal: Nutr J Date: 2011-05-08 Impact factor: 3.271
Authors: Karla I Galaviz; Samantha M Harden; Erin Smith; Kacie Ca Blackman; Leanna M Berrey; Scherezade K Mama; Fabio A Almeida; Rebecca E Lee; Paul A Estabrooks Journal: Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act Date: 2014-06-17 Impact factor: 6.457