Abstract
Abstract Aims: Cardiovascular disease risk factors occur more frequently in children with obesity. Project PANK is a multidisciplinary school-based intervention lasting 6 months to improve BMI z-score, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), blood pressure (BP), nutrition, physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour (SB), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides (TG). Methods/DesignA total of 77 children (7-10 years) were recruited from an urban school. The protocol includes PA and SB individual meetings for children/parents; increasing school exercise; PA and SB lessons for children; A goal in the number of steps/day to accomplish in and after school. In nutrition, the protocol includes three individual meetings for children/parents and six lessons for children. ResultsPositive associations were found between the BMI Z-score, WC, and WHtR with TG; the BMI Z-score and WHtR with glucose; the light PA time and HDL-C; the vigorous and moderate-to-vigorous PA with CRF; the caloric intake and lipids with LDL-C, BMI z-score, WC, and WHtR. A negative association was found between CRF and TG. ConclusionBaseline results stress the importance of multidisciplinary school-based interventions. We hypothesized that PANK will improve blood variables, anthropometric measures, and BP, by changing food intake, enhancing PA and CRF, and decreasing SB.
Highlights
Recent findings indicate that cardiovascular disease risk factors occur more frequently in children with obesity[1]
Considering the restrictions of space, in results section, we only focus on some baseline results
The main results related to the primary outcomes were: a) The BMI z-score, waist circumference, and waist-to-height ratio were all positively associated with triglycerides and caloric intake; b) Borderline and high triglycerides summed up to 18.0% of the children and borderline and high total cholesterol 29.5%; c) The BMI z-score, waist-to-height ratio, and the ingestion of soft drinks were positively associated with glucose; d) The BMI z-score was positively associated with systolic blood pressure; e) The LDL–C was positively associated with caloric intake and lipids and similar associations were observed between lipids and BMI z-score
Summary
Recent findings indicate that cardiovascular disease risk factors occur more frequently in children with obesity[1]. Obesity prevalence among children and adolescents is on the rise[2]. If current trends continue the number of overweight or obese infants and young children globally will increase to 70 million by 20253. Atherosclerosis begins in childhood and this process is related to the presence and level of known cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as, overweight/obesity, and nutrition/diet, and insufficient physical activity (PA)[4]. A study found a significant prevalence of metabolic syndrome among obese Portuguese schoolchildren[5]. Overweight and obesity, as well as their related diseases, are largely preventable[3]. Obesity prevention programmes focusing on both decreasing sedentary time and increasing PA has been highlighted for European children[6]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
