A Multidisciplinary School Intervention To Improve Nutritional Knowledge, Increase Physical Activity, And Reduce Body Mass

Abstract

Assessment of community interventions aimed at preventing and treating childhood obesity are greatly needed given the escalating prevalence of obesity. Successful interventions can, over time, be widely disseminated to halt or reverse current obesity trends. PURPOSE: Evaluate the impact of a multidisciplinary 12-week school intervention that included two interactive educational sessions with a registered dietitian and bi-weekly physical activity sessions lead by creative movement dancers. Physical activity sessions included instruction and reinforcement of healthy lifestyle habits. METHODS: Body mass index (BMI) was measured and questionnaires were administered at baseline to 77 intervention participants at a suburban public school. Follow-up surveys were completed after the 12-week intervention and follow-up BMI was measured 1 year after the baseline evaluation. RESULTS: Mean age was 9.6 + 1.0 years and 52% were male. Baseline BMI was 19.5 + 4.3 kg/m2, with a BMI z-score of 0.8 + 1.0 and a BMI percentile of 70.0 + 26.3%. Over one-third of the children (38%) were either overweight or obese with a BMI percentile at or above 85%, and 19% were obese with a BMI percentile at or above 95%. There was significant improvement in post-program nutritional knowledge compared with baseline, with correct responses to food group questions of 100% vs. 78%, p<0.001, for the fruit group, 89% vs. 66%, p=0.006, for the vegetable group, and 94% vs. 75%, p=0.008, for the milk group, respectively. The majority of parents, 74%, reported an increase in their child's physical activity level during the program. There was a significant reduction in BMI at 1-year among overweight/obese children with a decrease in mean BMI z-score from 1.7 to 1.4, p=0.03, and a decrease in BMI percentile from 94.0% to 83.5%, p=0.02. CONCLUSIONS: A 12-week multidisciplinary school intervention was associated with improved nutritional knowledge and reported physical activity levels, as well as a reduction in BMI among overweight children at 1 year follow-up. Further evaluation of this type of intervention, including a randomized-controlled trial and long-term studies, is warranted.