A School-Based Intervention to Reduce Risk for Obesity and Diabetes

The intervention modestly reduced the prevalence of obesity.

Can a comprehensive school-based intervention reduce the prevalence of overweight (body-mass index [BMI] >85th percentile) and obesity (BMI >95th percentile) in children? This cluster-randomized trial involved 4603 sixth grade students (about 50% overweight or obese and >50% black or Hispanic). Students received either assessment only or a 3-year curriculum that focused on nutrition, physical activity, and behavioral knowledge and skills about self-monitoring and goal setting. The nutrition component involved improving the quality of food served throughout the school (e.g., in the cafeteria, from vending machines).

At the end of eighth grade, the primary outcome — change in the prevalence of overweight and obese children — did not differ sig…

Reviewing Author

Howard Bauchner, MD

Disclosures

Grant / research supportHuman Resources and Services Administration; NIH; NIH-NHLBI; USDA; GlaxoSmithKline

Editorial boardsArchives of Disease in Childhood (Editor-in-Chief)

Howard Bauchner, MD

Disclosures

Grant / research supportHuman Resources and Services Administration; NIH; NIH-NHLBI; USDA; GlaxoSmithKline

Editorial boardsArchives of Disease in Childhood (Editor-in-Chief)

A School-Based Intervention to Reduce Risk for Obesity and Diabetes

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Reviewing Author