Energy balance for kids with play: design and implementation of a multi-component school-based obesity prevention program.
BACKGROUND
Improving nutrition and physical activity behaviors associated with childhood obesity are significant national public health goals. Energy Balance for Kids with Play (EB4K with Play), developed through a partnership between the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation and Playworks, is a multi-component school-based intervention designed to address youth's nutrition and physical activity behaviors. This article describes the EB4K with Play intervention and evaluation study and presents the baseline data.


METHODS
The evaluation is a 2-year cluster-randomized design targeting third- to fifth-grade students enrolled in a low-income, urban school district in northern California. Six schools were recruited to participate. Four were randomized to the intervention group and two into a control group. Baseline student-level data pertaining to nutrition, physical activity, fitness, and BMI were collected in the fall of 2011. The EB4K with Play program, which includes direct-to-student nutrition and physical activity interventions, a school wellness component, and parent/community partner outreach components, began immediately after baseline data collection.


RESULTS
An ethnically diverse sample of students (n=844) was recruited to participate in the study. Baseline data showed a higher percent of eligibility for free and reduced-price school lunch and higher rates of obesity/overweight than the California state averages. Fitness levels and levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were comparable to state averages.


CONCLUSIONS
End-point data will be collected after 2 years of the intervention. The findings from this study should help guide future efforts to design effective intervention programs to support the prevention of pediatric obesity.
1 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation , Chicago, IL.
Esther F
EF
Myers
Dana E
DE
Gerstein
Jan
J
Foster
Michelle
M
Ross
Katie
K
Brown
Evan
E
Kennedy
Jennifer
J
Linchey
Kristine A
KA
Madsen
Patricia B
PB
Crawford
D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010988:Play and Playthings; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*