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Changes in Z‐BMI and Dietary Intake in Children Participating in a Community‐based Weight Management Program
Author(s) -
Greene Geoffrey,
Marchand Stephanie,
Nobles Jennifer,
Xu Furong
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.135.5
Subject(s) - medicine , overweight , vitamin d and neurology , obesity , zoology , weight management , vitamin , saturated fat , pediatrics , demography , biology , cholesterol , sociology
Reducing the rate of weight gain is critical for overweight young children to avoid obesity in adolescence which is highly predictive of adult obesity. South County Food Fitness and Fun is a community‐based, 16‐week program for 6‐10 year old children referred by their physicians with BMI > 85%. The purpose of this study was to evaluate preliminary results among children completing the intervention. Completers (n=71; mean age=8.6±1.2 years, BMI=24.5±4.0 kg/m 2 , 61% female) decreased Z‐BMI from 2.0±0.6 baseline to 1.9±0.6 post program (p<.001). Among those with 2‐year follow‐up (n=33), Z‐BMI decreased from 1.9±0.4 baseline to 1.7±0.6 2‐year follow‐up (p=.03). Dietary variables were assessed pre and post intervention by the Harvard Youth/Adolescent Food Frequency Questionnaire; participants with complete dietary data (n=69) decreased energy intake from 2116±504 kcal to 1886±424 kcal (p<.001) as well as decreased saturated fat from 10.3±1.6 % kcal to 9.9±1.7 % kcal (p<.05) and sodium from 2634±677 mg to 2339±523 mg (p<.001). Dietary fiber increased from 8.6±2.0 grams/1,000 kcal to 9.6±2.3 grams/1,000 kcal (p<.001). There were no changes in calcium, Vitamin D, added sugar, or potassium. In conclusion, this intervention program was associated with a reduction in the rate of weight gain in overweight children as well as an improvement in dietary quality, thus could help reduce the risk of these children becoming obese adults.