Team sports for overweight children: the Stanford Sports to Prevent Obesity Randomized Trial (SPORT).
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of an after-school team sports program for reducing weight gain in low-income overweight children.


METHODS
Six-month, 2-arm, parallel-group, pilot randomized controlled trial.


METHODS
Low-income, racial/ethnic minority community.


METHODS
Twenty-one children in grades 4 and 5 with a body mass index at or above the 85th percentile.


METHODS
The treatment intervention consisted of an after-school soccer program. The "active placebo" control intervention consisted of an after-school health education program.


METHODS
Implementation, acceptability, body mass index, physical activity measured using accelerometers, reported television and other screen time, self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and weight concerns.


RESULTS
All 21 children completed the study. Compared with children receiving health education, children in the soccer group had significant decreases in body mass index z scores at 3 and 6 months and significant increases in total daily, moderate, and vigorous physical activity at 3 months.


CONCLUSIONS
An after-school team soccer program for overweight children can be a feasible, acceptable, and efficacious intervention for weight control.
Weintraub
Dana L
DL
Division of General Pediatrics and Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, 211 Quarry Rd, Hoover Pavilion, Room N032, Stanford, CA 94305-5705, USA. Dana.Weintraub@Stanford.edu
Tirumalai
Evelyn C
EC
Haydel
K Farish
KF
Fujimoto
Michelle
M
Fulton
Janet E
JE
Robinson
Thomas N
TN
D002648:Child; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D050177:Overweight / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011203:Poverty; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D015430:Weight Gain