gecrane

February 20, 2018

Journal of Obesity

Community-Based Nutrition and Physical Activity Intervention for Children Who Are Overweight or Obese and Their Caregivers

There is a need for efficacious interventions to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity, and a limited body of research suggests that collaborative community-based programs designed for children and their caregivers may be effective in reducing obesity rates. This paper reports the results of a community-based obesity intervention, South County Food, Fitness and Fun (SCFFF), designed for preadolescent children who are overweight or obese and their caregivers. SCFFF was developed in response to community concerns. Families were referred to the program by their physician and participated in the program at no cost. The 16-week intervention includes weekly group nutrition and physical activity sessions. Analyses determined that 65 out of the 97 children who completed SCFFF provided 2-year follow-up data and had reduced BMI z-scores over 2 years following the intervention. These participants decreased their energy, fat, carbohydrate, saturated fat, and sodium intake and increased core body strength and endurance from baseline to the end of the intervention. SCFFF was effective in reducing relative weight and improving diet and core muscle strength and endurance in children who are overweight or obese. To read the complete article please click on the following link: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jobe/2017/2746595/

Journal of Obesity. 2017, 1-9. DOI: 10.1155/2017/2746595

Furong Xu, Stephanie Marchand, Celeste Corcoran, Heather DiBasio, Rachel Clough, Christopher S. Dyer, Jennifer Nobles, Jade White, Mary L. Greaney, and Geoffrey W. Greene

February 20, 2018

Journal of Physical Activity Research

The Impact of a Community-Based Childhood Obesity Prevention Program on Children’s Physical Activity and Fitness

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of South County Food, Fitness and Fun (SCFFF), a 16-week community-based obesity prevention program, on children’s moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), physical fitness, body mass index (BMI), and BMI z-score. A non-randomized pre-test and post-test study design was used to assess changes in MVPA, physical fitness, BMI and BMI z-score from baseline to program end. MVPA was measured by accelerometer, physical fitness measured by Fitnessgram, and height and weight were measured by stadiometer and scale and used to calculate BMI. The analytic sample for this study included 53 children from nine SCFFF programs conducted between 2011-2016. There was a significant increase in the percentage of time children spent participating in MVPA (1.12%; p=0.022), curl-ups (p<0.001) and trunk lifts (p=0.004). BMI z-score decreased (p<0.001). Results reinforce the importance of offering community-based interventions that include caregivers to prevent excess weight gain in children. To read the complete article please click on the following link: http://pubs.sciepub.com/jpar/2/1/8/index.html

Journal of Physical Activity Research. 2017, 2(1), 44-49. DOI: 10.12691/jpar-2-1-8