title: Study protocol: effects of the THAO-child health intervention program on the prevention of childhood obesity - the POIBC study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The speeding increase and the high prevalence of childhood obesity is a serious problem for Public Health. Community Based Interventions has been developed to combat against the childhood obesity epidemic. However little is known on the efficacy of these programs. Therefore, there is an urgent need to determine the effect of community based intervention on changes in lifestyle and surrogate measures of adiposity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Parallel intervention study including two thousand 2249 children aged 8 to 10 years ( 4th and 5th grade of elementary school) from 4 Spanish towns. The THAO-Child Health Program, a community based intervention, were implemented in 2 towns. Body weight, height, and waist circumferences were measured. Children recorded their dietary intake on a computer-based 24h recall. All children also completed validated computer based questionnaires to estimate physical activity, diet quality, eating behaviors, and quality of life and sleep. Additionally, parental diet quality and physical activity were assessed by validated questionnaires.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study will provide insight in the efficacy of the THAO-Child Health Program to promote a healthy lifestyle. Additionally it will evaluate if lifestyle changes are accompanied by favorable weight management.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Trial Registration Number ISRCTN68403446.
authors.forename: Santiago F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Gomez
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Casas
authors.forename: Vanessa Taylor
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Palomo
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martin Pujol
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fíto
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition Research Group (CARIN), IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain. hschroeder@imim.es.
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schröder
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000379:methods*; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012890:Sleep; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055105:Waist Circumference