title: Results of an intensive school-based weight loss program with overweight Mexican American children.
abstract: Childhood overweight has increased significantly in the past 20 years, with the highest rates noted among Mexican Americans. Schools are an optimal setting for intervention efforts; however, few programs have demonstrated actual decreases in weight. This study evaluated an intensive school-based program designed to result in weight reduction for overweight Mexican American children. A total of 71 children (32 males, 48%) between the ages of 10 and 14 at or above the 85th percentile for body mass index (BMI) were randomized into a six-month intensive intervention (II) or self-help (SH) condition. Results revealed that children in the II condition significantly reduced their standardized BMI (zBMI) when compared with the children in the self-help condition (F(2,62)=6.58, p=0.003). The change in zBMI was significantly different at both 3 and 6 months (F(1,63)=5.74, p=0.019, F(1,63)=12.61, p=0.001, respectively) with II participants showing greater decreases in weight. The 3-month change in zBMI for the II participants was a decrease of 0.07 compared with a decrease of 0.01 for SH participants. The 6-month change in zBMI was a decrease of 0.11 for II and an increase of 0.03 for SH. Overall, the results are promising, suggesting that an intensive school-based intervention may be an effective means for promoting weight loss in overweight Mexican American children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics-Nutrition, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. caj@bcm.edu
authors.forename: Craig A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: Chermaine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tyler
authors.forename: Ginny
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fullerton
authors.forename: Walker S Carlos
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Poston
authors.forename: C Keith
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Haddock
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McFarlin
authors.forename: Rebecca S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Reeves
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Foreyt
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans; D050177:Overweight / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D005082:Physical Exertion; D012016:Reference Values; D012574:Schools; D012656:Self-Help Devices; D013781:Texas; D015431:Weight Loss