Dance and reducing television viewing to prevent weight gain in African-American girls: the Stanford GEMS pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
To test the feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of after-school dance classes and a family-based intervention to reduce television viewing, thereby reducing weight gain, among African-American girls.


METHODS
Twelve-week, 2-arm parallel group, randomized controlled trial.


METHODS
Low-income neighborhoods.


METHODS
Sixty-one 8-10-year-old African-American girls and their parents/guardians.


METHODS
The treatment intervention consisted of after-school dance classes at 3 community centers, and a 5-lesson intervention, delivered in participants' homes, and designed to reduce television, videotape, and video game use. The active control intervention consisted of disseminating newsletters and delivering health education lectures.


METHODS
Implementation and process measures, body mass index, waist circumference, physical activity measured by accelerometry, self-reported media use, and meals eaten with TV.


RESULTS
Recruitment and retention goals were exceeded. High rates of participation were achieved for assessments and intervention activities, except where transportation was lacking. All interventions received high satisfaction ratings. At follow up, girls in the treatment group, as compared to the control group, exhibited trends toward lower body mass index (adjusted difference = -.32 kg/m2, 95% confidence interval [CI] -.77, .12; Cohen's d = .38 standard deviation units) and waist circumference (adjusted difference = -.63 cm, 95% CI -1.92, .67; d = .25); increased after-school physical activity (adjusted difference = 55.1 counts/minute, 95% CI -115.6, 225.8; d = .21); and reduced television, videotape, and video game use (adjusted difference = -4.96 hours/week, 95% CI -11.41, 1.49; d = .40). The treatment group reported significantly reduced household television viewing (d = .73, P = .007) and fewer dinners eaten while watching TV (adjusted difference = -1.60 meals/week, 95% CI -2.99, -.21; d = .59; P = .03). Treatment group girls also reported less concern about weight (d = .60; P = .03), and a trend toward improved school grades (d = .51; P = .07).


CONCLUSIONS
This study confirmed the feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of using dance classes and a family-based intervention to reduce television viewing, thereby reducing weight gain, in African-American girls.
Robinson
Thomas N
TN
Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, The Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA. robinson@stanford.edu
Killen
Joel D
JD
Kraemer
Helena C
HC
Wilson
Darrell M
DM
Matheson
Donna M
DM
Haskell
William L
WL
Pruitt
Leslie A
LA
Powell
Tiffany M
TM
Owens
Ayisha S
AS
Thompson
Nikko S
NS
Flint-Moore
Natasha M
NM
Davis
GeAndra J
GJ
Emig
Kara A
KA
Brown
Rebecca T
RT
Rochon
James
J
Green
Sarah
S
Varady
Ann
A
D001741:Black or African American / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002140:California; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D003614:Dance Therapy; D015444:Exercise; D005190:Family / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006266:Health Education; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011204:Poverty Areas; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012574:Schools; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013690:Television; D018910:Video Games