title: [Cost-effectiveness of an intervention to reduce overweight and obesity in 9-10-year-olds. The Cuenca study].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the cost-effectiveness a school-based intervention designed to reduce overweight/obesity and other cardiovascular risk factors in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Standard cost effectiveness analysis methods and two perspectives (societal and institutional) were used. A cluster-randomized controlled trial with 10 intervention schools (691 children) and 10 control schools (718 children) was performed. Net costs were calculated by subtracting the usual after-school care cost from intervention costs. The effectiveness of the intervention was measured as the reduction in health outcomes compared with the control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intervention costs totaled 125,469.75€, representing 269.83 €/year/child. The usual after-school care was estimated at 844,56 €/year/child. Intervention children showed a decrease in triceps skinfold thickness (-1.25mm, 95% CI: -1.82 to -0.67; P<.001). Intervention children with body mass index (BMI) between the percentiles 25 and 75 showed a decrease in the percentage of body fat (-0.59%; 95% CI: -1.03 to -0.67; P<.001), and those with a BMI>P75 showed a decrease in triceps skinfold thickness (-1.87mm; 95%CI: -3.43 to -0.32; P<.001), and percentage of body fat (-0.67%; 95%CI: -1.32 to -0.01; P<.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This type of after-school program for recreational physical activity to prevent obesity are likely to be a cost-effective use of public funds and warrant careful consideration by policy makers and program planners.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudios Sociosanitarios, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, España. pablo.moya@uclm.es
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moya Martínez
authors.forename: Mairena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sánchez López
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: López Bastida
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Escribano Sotos
authors.forename: Blanca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Notario Pacheco
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Salcedo Aguilar
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Martínez Vizcaíno
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D005380:Financing, Government; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D052580:Muscle Stretching Exercises; D009765:Obesity / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D050177:Overweight / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D057173:Recreation Therapy / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D055070:Resistance Training; D012572:School Health Services / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology