title: Preventing obesity among Brazilian adolescent girls: Six-month outcomes of the Healthy Habits, Healthy Girls-Brazil school-based randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  School-based trials to prevent and reduce prevalence of pediatric obesity in low-income countries are necessary. In Brazil, addressing adolescent obesity is a public health priority.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of a group randomized controlled trial involving a 6-month multicomponent school-based obesity prevention program targeting adolescent girls.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Healthy Habits, Healthy Girls-Brazil program recruited participants (n=253; 16.05±0.05 years) from ten eligible public technical schools in São Paulo, Brazil. The program was adapted from an Australian intervention study, which is based on the Social Cognitive Theory. The primary outcome measure was body mass index (BMI), and secondary outcomes included BMI z score, waist circumference, and various sedentary and dietary health-related behaviours.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although changes in BMI were not statistically significant, differences favored the intervention group (adjusted mean difference, -0.26kg/m(2),se SE=0.018, p=0.076). Statistically significant intervention effects were found for waist circumference (-2.28cm; p=, p=0.01), computer screen time on the weekends (0.63h/day, p; p=0.02), total sedentary activities on the weekends (-0.92h/day, p<0.01), and vegetable intake (1.16servings/day, p=0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings provide some evidence for the benefit of a school-based intervention to prevent unhealthy weight gain in adolescent girls living in low-income communities.
authors: Departamento de Nutrição, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, CEP 01246-904, Brazil. Electronic address: leme.acarolina@usp.br.
authors: Ana Carolina Barco
authors: AC
authors: Leme
authors: Priority Research Centre in Physical Activity and Nutrition (PRC-PAN), University of Newcastle, Campus Callaghan, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
authors: David R
authors: DR
authors: Lubans
authors: Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo CEP 03828-000, Brazil; Grupo de Estudos e Pesquisas Epidemiológicas em Atividade Física (GEPAF-USP), Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo CEP 03828-000, Brazil.
authors: Paulo Henrique
authors: PH
authors: Guerra
authors: Priority Research Centre in Physical Activity and Nutrition (PRC-PAN), University of Newcastle, Campus Callaghan, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
authors: Deborah
authors: D
authors: Dewar
authors: Departamento de Nutrição, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, CEP 01246-904, Brazil.
authors: Erika Christiane
authors: EC
authors: Toassa
authors: Departamento de Nutrição, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, CEP 01246-904, Brazil.
authors: Sonia Tucunduva
authors: ST
authors: Philippi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil; D003201:Computers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012572:School Health Services; D014675:Vegetables; D055105:Waist Circumference
keywords: Adolescent; Motor activity; Nutritional status; Randomized controlled trial; School