Team sports for overweight children: the Stanford Sports to Prevent Obesity Randomized Trial (SPORT). A sport-based intervention for preventing alcohol use and promoting physical activity among adolescents. An After-School Physical Activity Program for Obesity Prevention in Children Childhood obesity prevention through a community-based cluster randomized controlled physical activity intervention among schools in china: the health legacy project of the 2nd world summer youth olympic Games (YOG-Obesity study) Intervening to Reduce Sedentary Behaviors and Childhood Obesity among School-Age Youth: A Systematic Review of Randomized Trials ["Fit4You"--A Programme for Prevention and Reduction of Overweight in Apprentices in the Workplace Setting]. Long-term Outcomes of the ATHENA (Athletes Targeting Healthy Exercise & Nutrition Alternatives) Program for Female High School Athletes. Obesity prevention in low socioeconomic status urban African-American adolescents: study design and preliminary findings of the HEALTH-KIDS Study School-community partnerships: a cluster-randomized trial of an after-school soccer program. A web- and mobile phone-based intervention to prevent obesity in 4-year-olds (MINISTOP): a population-based randomized controlled trial Sports camp with six months of support from a local sports club as a treatment for childhood obesity Preventing substance use and disordered eating: initial outcomes of the ATHENA (athletes targeting healthy exercise and nutrition alternatives) program. Testing a model of physical activity and obesity tracking from youth to adulthood: the cardiovascular risk in young Finns study Early Childhood Obesity Prevention in Low-Income, Urban Communities Childhood obesity prevention and control in city recreation centres and family homes: the MOVE/me Muevo Project. Improvements in fitness reduce the risk of becoming overweight across puberty. Sport and exercise as contributors to the health of nations
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the feasibility , acceptability , and efficacy of an after-school team sports program for reducing weight gain in low-income overweight children . DESIGN Six-month , 2-arm , parallel-group , pilot r and omized controlled trial . SETTING Low-income , racial/ethnic minority community . PARTICIPANTS Twenty-one children in grade s 4 and 5 with a body mass index at or above the 85th percentile . INTERVENTIONS The treatment intervention consisted of an after-school soccer program . The " active placebo " control intervention consisted of an after-school health education program . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Implementation , acceptability , body mass index , physical activity measured using accelerometers , reported television and other screen time , self-esteem , depressive symptoms , and weight concerns . RESULTS All 21 children completed the study . Compared with children receiving health education , children in the soccer group had significant decreases in body mass index z scores at 3 and 6 months and significant increases in total daily , moderate , and vigorous physical activity at 3 months . CONCLUSION An after-school team soccer program for overweight children can be a feasible , acceptable , and efficacious intervention for weight control This study tested the potential of a novel intervention addressing alcohol prevention within the context of a sport program . Study participants were r and omly assigned to one of three groups , with one group receiving the sport consultation ( Sport ) , a second the sport consultation plus an alcohol consultation ( Sport Plus ) , and a third a sport consultation , alcohol consultation , and mailed parent print material s ( Sport Plus Parent ) . Research ers recruited 465 eighth grade rs from three schools in the northeast Florida region to participate in the study . The Youth Alcohol and Health Survey was used to collect data on alcohol and drug consumption , alcohol use risk and protective factors , and exercise habits at baseline and three-month post-intervention . Significant time effects ( p 's < .05 ) were found on three of six alcohol measures , both exercise measures , and four risk/protective factors , with all but one risk factor showing improvements over time . Time by assignment by current drinking status ( yes/no ) interaction effects ( p 's < .05 ) were found on alcohol initiation , length of alcohol use , quantity , heavy use , moderate physical activity , and four risk/protective factors , with preintervention drinking adolescents exposed to the Sport intervention showing the greatest improvements on all but two measures . Findings suggest that a brief sport-based screen and consultation tailored to adolescents ' health habits , with and without parent material s , may potentially reduce alcohol use while increasing exercise frequency This article describes the process of setting up a 3-year , school-based after-school physical activity intervention in elementary schools . The primary aim of the study is to determine whether adiposity and fitness will improve in children who are exposed to a fitogenic versus an obesogenic environment . Eighteen schools were r and omized to the  control ( obesogenic ) or intervention ( fitogenic ) group . The study design , program components , and evaluation of the intervention are described in detail . The intervention consists of ( a ) academic enrichment , ( b ) a healthy snack , and ( c ) physical activity in a mastery-oriented environment . Successful implementation would show the feasibility of schools ’ being able to provide a fitogenic environment . Significant differences between the groups would provide evidence that a fitogenic environment after school has positive health benefits . If feasibility and efficacy are demonstrated , implementing an after-school program like this one in elementary schools could play a major role in preventing and reducing childhood obesity Background : Childhood obesity has been becoming a worldwide public health problem . We conducted a community-based physical activity ( PA ) intervention program aim ing at childhood obesity prevention in general student population in Nanjing of China , the host city of the 2nd World Summer Youth Olympic Games ( YOG-Obesity study ) . Methods : This was a cluster r and omized controlled intervention study . Participants were the 4th ( mean age±s.e . : 9.0±0.01 ) and 7th ( mean age±s.e . : 12.0±0.01 ) grade students ( mean age±s.e . : 10.5±0.02 ) from 48 schools and r and omly allocated ( 1:1 ) to intervention or control groups at school level . Routine health education was provided to all schools , whereas the intervention schools additionally received an 1-year tailored multi-component PA intervention program , including classroom curricula , school environment support , family involvement and fun programs/events . The primary outcome measures were changes in body mass index , obesity occurrence and PA . Results : Overall , 9858 ( 97.7 % ) of the 10091 enrolled students completed the follow-up survey . Compared with the baseline , PA level increased by 33.13 min per week ( s.e . 10.86 ) in the intervention group but decreased by 1.76 min per week ( s.e . 11.53 ) in the control group ( P=0.028 ) . After adjustment for potential confounders , compared with the control group , the intervention group were more likely to have increased time of PA ( adj . Odds ratio=1.15 , 95 % confidence interval=1.06–1.25 ) , but had a smaller increase in mean body mass index ( BMI ) ( 0.22 ( s.e . 0.02 ) vs 0.46 ( 0.02 ) , P=0.01 ) and BMI z-score ( 0.07 ( 0.01 ) vs 0.16 ( 0.01 ) , P=0.01 ) , and were less likely to be obese ( adj . Odds ratio=0.7 , 95 % confidence interval=0.6 , 0.9 ) at study end . The intervention group had fewer new events of obesity/overweight but a larger proportion of formerly overweight/obese students having normal weight by study end . Conclusions : This large community-based PA intervention was feasible and effective in promoting PA and preventing obesity among the general student population in a large city in China . Experiences from this study are the lessons for China to control the childhood obesity epidemic Objective . To assess the effectiveness of interventions that focus on reducing  sedentary behavior ( SB ) among school-age youth and to identify elements associated with interventions ' potential for translation into practice setting s. Methods . A comprehensive literature search was conducted using 4 data bases for peer- review ed studies published between 1980 and April 2011 . R and omized trials , which lasted at least 12 weeks , aim ed at decreasing  SB among children aged 6 to 19 years were identified . Results . Twelve studies were included ; 3 focused only on SB , 1 focused on  physical activity ( PA )  , 6 were combined SB and PA interventions , and 2 studies targeted SB , PA , and diet .  The majority of the studies were conducted in a school setting , while others were conducted in such setting s as clinics , community centers , and libraries . Conclusions . Overall , interventions that focused on decreasing SB were associated with reduction in time spent on SB and /or improvements in anthropometric measurements related to childhood obesity . Several of the studies did consider elements related to the intervention 's potential for translation into practice setting The effect of health promotion at the worksite for overweight adolescents is not known . This 2-year intervention study examined the effect of a multimodal programme including nutrition counselling , sport , and life-skill training on medical and psychological outcomes . The body mass index increased slightly less in the intervention group . Semistructured interviews at the end showed that participants are highly interested in health promotion at the worksite Adolescence and emerging adulthood are critical windows for establishing life-long behaviors . We assessed long-term outcomes of a prospect i ve r and omized harm reduction/health promotion program for female high school athletes . The intervention 's immediate beneficial effects on diet pill use and unhealthy eating behaviors have been reported ; however , tobacco , alcohol and marijuana use were not immediately altered ( Elliot et al , 2004 ) . One to three years following graduation , positive benefits in those domains became evident , and intervention students reported significantly less lifetime use of cigarettes , marijuana , and alcohol . Sport teams may be effective vehicles for gender-specific interventions to promote competency skills and deter harmful actions , and those benefits may manifest when acquired abilities are applied in new environments following high school graduation Objectives : Obesity prevention among children and adolescents is a public health priority ; however , limited school-based intervention trials targeting obesity have been conducted . This article provides an overview of the study design and baseline preliminary findings of our ongoing school-based intervention study . Design : R and omized intervention trial to test a school-based , environmental obesity prevention program in urban low socioeconomic status ( SES ) African-American adolescents . The intervention program was developed based on several behavioral theories and was guided by preliminary findings based on focus group discussion and baseline data . Setting : Four Chicago public schools in the US.Subjects : Over 450 5–7th grade rs and their families and schools were involved . Results : Our baseline data indicate a high prevalence of overweight ( 43 % in boys and 41 % in girls ) and a number of problems in these children 's physical activity and eating patterns . Only 26 % reported spending ⩾20 min engaged in vigorous-moderate exercise  in ⩾5 days over the past 7 days ; 29 % reported spending ⩾5 h each day watching TV , playing video games , or using computer . They also consumed too many fried foods and soft drinks . On average , 55 % consumed fried foods ⩾2 times/day over the past 7 days ; regarding soft drinks , 70 % reported consuming ⩾2 times/day . Conclusion : School-based obesity prevention programs are urgently needed in the target US urban , low SES , minority communities . These data can be used to inform intervention activities IMPORTANCE Identifying community-based programs that increase physical activity among diverse youth could yield sustainable tools to reduce obesity and obesity disparities . OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of a community-based after-school soccer and youth development program , America SCORES , on students ' physical activity , weight status , and fitness . DESIGN Cluster-r and omized trial . Study measures were collected in the fall ( baseline ) , winter ( midpoint ) , and spring ( end point ) of the 2009 - 2010 school year . SETTING After-school programs in 6 schools within a large urban school district . PARTICIPANTS All 4th and 5th grade students in after-school programs at the study schools were eligible . INTERVENTION Three schools were r and omized to receive the SCORES after-school program , delivered via the train-the-trainer model . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Change in minutes of after-school moderate-to-vigorous physical activity ( MVPA ) , fitness ( maximal oxygen consumption ) , and body mass index over 1 school year . RESULTS Participants ( n = 156 ) were diverse ( 42 % Latino , 32 % Asian , and 12 % African American ) and 76 ( 49 % ) had a body mass index at or above the 85th percentile . There were no significant group differences in the change in physical activity , fitness , or weight status among all students . However , among students with a body mass index at or above the 85th percentile , SCORES significantly increased MVPA after school ( 3.4 min/d ; 95 % CI , 0.3 - 6.5 ) and on Saturdays ( 18.5 minutes ; 95 % CI , 3.4 - 33.6 ) . CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Existing community-based programs such as SCORES can increase physical activity among low-income youth , particularly those most at risk for weight-related comorbidities . While evaluating existing programs presents special challenges , partnerships between communities , schools , and research ers are an important component of translational research to address obesity . TRIAL REGISTRATION clinical trials.gov Identifier : NCT01156103 Background Childhood obesity is an increasing health problem globally . Overweight and obesity may be established as early as 2–5 years of age , highlighting the need for evidence -based effective prevention and treatment programs early in life . In adults , mobile phone based interventions for weight management ( mHealth ) have demonstrated positive effects on body mass , however , their use in child population s has yet to be examined . The aim of this paper is to report the study design and methodology of the MINSTOP ( Mobile-based Intervention Intended to Stop Obesity in Preschoolers ) trial . Methods / Design A two-arm , parallel design r and omized controlled trial in 300 healthy Swedish 4-year-olds is conducted . After baseline measures , parents are allocated to either an intervention- or control group . The 6- month mHealth intervention consists of a web-based application ( the MINSTOP app ) to help  parents promote healthy eating and physical activity in children .  MINISTOP is based on the Social Cognitive Theory and involves the delivery of a comprehensive , personalized program of information and text messages based on existing guidelines for a healthy diet and active lifestyle in pre-school children . Parents also register physical activity and intakes of c and y , soft drinks , vegetables as well as fruits of their child and receive feedback through the application . Primary outcomes include body fatness and energy intake , while secondary outcomes are time spent in sedentary , moderate , and vigorous physical activity , physical fitness and intakes of fruits and vegetables , snacks , soft drinks and c and y. Food and energy intake ( Tool for Energy balance in Children , TECH ) , body fatness ( pediatric option for BodPod ) , physical activity ( Actigraph wGT3x-BT ) and physical fitness ( the PREFIT battery of five fitness tests ) are measured at baseline , after the intervention ( six months after baseline ) and at follow-up ( 12 months after baseline ) . Discussion This novel study will evaluate the effectiveness of a mHealth program for mitigating gain in body fatness among 4-year-old children . If the intervention proves effective it has great potential to be implemented in child-health care to counteract childhood overweight and obesity . Trial registration Clinical Trials.gov NCT02021786 ; 20 Dec 2013 Aims : Although childhood obesity is becoming increasingly prevalent , treatment options are limited and the continued development of effective treatment strategies is necessary . It is equally important to explore involvement of other re sources in society , such as sports associations . This study was design ed to investigate the possibility of reducing the degree of obesity in obese children by focusing on physical activity as an intervention . Methods : Seventy-six children ( 40 boys ) aged 8—12 years ( mean age 10.5 years , mean body mass index ( BMI ) 28.9 , st and ard deviation ( SD ) 3.0 ; mean BMI z-score 3.24 , SD 0.49 ) were invited to participate in a one-week sports camp and six-month support system . After the camp a sports coach from a local sports club supported the child during participation in a chosen sport for six months . Weight , height , body composition ( using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry and magnetic resonance imaging ) , and lifestyle ( using a question naire ) were measured at baseline and after 12 months . Data were pooled from two camps , one with a self-selected control group and one r and omized controlled trial . Results : Twelve months after the camp the intervention group had a significant decrease in BMI z-score ( baseline BMI z-score 3.22 ; follow up 3.10 , p = 0.023 ) . The control group also reduced their BMI z-score ( baseline BMI z-score 3.27 ; follow up 3.18 , p = 0.022 ) . No differences were found in baseline values , follow-up values , or changes in BMI z-score between groups , nor between boys and girls . Conclusions : The focus on physical activity as an intervention had no effect on degree of obesity when compared with a waiting list control group OBJECTIVES To implement and to assess the efficacy of a school-based , sport team-centered program to prevent young female high school athletes ' disordered eating and body-shaping drug use . DESIGN AND SETTING Prospect i ve controlled trial in 18 high schools , with balanced r and om assignment by school to the intervention and usual-care control conditions . PARTICIPANTS We enrolled 928 students from 40 participating sport teams . Mean age was 15.4 years , 92.2 % were white , and follow-up retention was 72 % . INTERVENTION The ATHENA ( Athletes Targeting Healthy Exercise and Nutrition Alternative ) curriculum 's 8 weekly 45-minute sessions were incorporated into a team 's usual practice activities . Content was gender-specific , peer-led , and explicitly scripted . Topics included healthy sport nutrition , effective exercise training , drug use and other unhealthy behaviors ' effects on sport performance , media images of females , and depression prevention . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES We assessed participants by confidential question naire prior to and following their sport season . We determined program effects using an analysis of covariance-based approach within the Generalized Estimating Equation framework . RESULTS Experimental athletes reported significantly less ongoing and new use of diet pills and less new use of athletic-enhancing substances ( amphetamines , anabolic steroids , and sport supplements ) ( P<.05 for each ) . Other health-harming actions also were reduced ( less riding with an alcohol-consuming driver [ P = .05 ] , more seat belt use [ P<.05 ] , and less new sexual activity [ P<.05 ] ) . The ATHENA athletes had coincident positive changes in strength-training self-efficacy ( P<.005 ) and healthy eating behaviors ( P<.001 ) . Reductions occurred in intentions toward future use of diet pills ( P<.05 ) , vomiting to lose weight ( P<.05 ) , and use of tobacco ( P<.05 ) and muscle-building supplements ( P<.005 ) . The program 's curriculum components were altered appropriately ( controlling mood [ P<.005 ] , refusal skills [ P = .05 ] , belief in the media [ P<.005 ] , and perceptions of closest friends ' body-shaping drug use [ P<.001 ] ) . CONCLUSIONS Sport teams are effective natural vehicles for gender-specific , peer-led curricula to promote healthy lifestyles and to deter disordered eating , athletic-enhancing substance use , and other health-harming behaviors Objective : To test a potential model of the relationship between physical activity and obesity from youth to adulthood . Design : Longitudinal study data from the cardiovascular risk in young Finns study .Subjects : A total of 1319 boys ( n=626 ) and girls ( n=693 ) aged 9 , 12 , 15 and 18 years were r and omly selected from five university towns and their rural surroundings in 1980 . They were followed up for 21 years . In 2001 they were 30 , 33 , 36 and 39 years old . Measurements :  Physical activity was assessed by a short question naire at two measurement points .  Obesity was measured by body mass index ( BMI ) and sum of skinfolds in 1980 and BMI and waist circumference in 2001 . Results : Structural equation analysis ( LISREL ) indicated that the prevalence of abdominal obesity in adulthood was directly affected by adult physical activity ( beta (β)=−0.16 , t=−4.02 , P < 0.05 for men , β=−0.12 , t=−3.35 , P<0.05 for women ) and indirectly via  youth physical activity  ( β=−0.10 , t=−4.68 , P < 0.05 for men , β=−0.07 , t=−4.54 , P<0.05 for women ) . Obesity tracked significantly from youth to adulthood ( β=0.41 , t=11.13 , P<0.05 for men , β=0.34 , t=9.39 , P<0.05 for women ) .  Youth physical activity  might reduce body weight in youth but was not directly associated with adult abdominal obesity in either men or women . The model accounted 19 % of abdominal obesity in men and 13 % in women . The path from  youth physical activity to adult obesity through youth obesity seemed to be stronger than the path through adult physical activity . Conclusions : This study lends general support to the hypothesized model that abdominal obesity in adulthood is directly related to adult physical activity and youth overall obesity in both sexes .  Youth physical activity had an indirect effect on abdominal obesity through the maintenance of physical activity in adulthood . Participation in and maintaining physical activity from youth to adulthood may have an important role in reducing obesity in adulthood Given the disproportionately high rates of obesity-related morbidity among low-income , ethnic minority youth , obesity prevention in this population is critical . Prior efforts to curb childhood obesity have had limited public health impact . The present study evaluates an innovative approach to obesity prevention by promoting foundational parenting and child behavioral regulation . This pre – post intervention study evaluated an enhanced version of ParentCorps with 91 families of pre-Kindergarten students in low-income , urban communities . Assessment s included tests of knowledge and parent report . Consistent with findings from two r and omized controlled trials of ParentCorps , parent knowledge and use of foundational parenting practice s increased and child behavior problems decreased . Child nutrition knowledge and physical activity increased and television watching decreased ; for boys , sleep problems decreased . Comparable benefits occurred for children at high risk for obesity based on child dysregulation , child overweight , and parent overweight . Results support a “ whole child , ” family-centered approach to health promotion in early childhood BACKGROUND Interventions to prevent and control  childhood obesity  have shown mixed results in terms of short- and long-term changes . OBJECTIVES ' MOVE/me Muevo ' was a 2-year family- and recreation centre-based r and omized controlled trial to promote healthy eating and physical activity  among 5- to 8-year-old children . It was hypothesized that children in the intervention group would demonstrate lower post-intervention body mass index ( BMI ) values and improved obesity-related behaviours compared with the control group children . METHODS Thirty recreation centres in San Diego County , California , were r and omized to an intervention or control condition . Five hundred forty-one families were enrolled and children 's BMI , diet , physical activity and other health indicators were tracked from baseline to 2 years post-baseline . Analyses followed an intent-to-treat approach using mixed-effects models . RESULTS No significant intervention effects were observed for the primary outcomes of child 's or parent 's BMI and child 's waist circumference . Moderator analyses , however , showed that girls ( but not boys ) in the intervention condition reduced their BMI . At the 2-year follow-up , intervention condition parents reported that their children were consuming fewer high-fat foods and sugary beverages . CONCLUSIONS Favourable implementation fidelity and high retention rates support the feasibility of this intervention in a large metropolitan area ; however , interventions of greater intensity may be needed to achieve effects on child 's BMI . Also , further research is needed to develop gender-specific intervention strategies so that both genders may benefit from such efforts PURPOSE Information about factors related to overweight development in early stages of life is needed for design ing useful strategies to prevent overweight and related diseases . Longitudinal studies can contribute to this goal . The present study aim ed to identify factors in childhood that determine the development of overweight/obesity in adolescence . METHODS A prospect i ve study in 598 normal-weight Estonian and Swedish children age 9.5 ± 0.4 yr from the European Youth Heart Study , who were followed during 6 yr , was conducted . Weight and height were measured at baseline and follow-up , and weight status was ascertained according to the international criteria for body mass index . Cardiorespiratory fitness  ( expressed as  VO(2max ) ( mL·kg(-1)·min(-1 ) ) ) was assessed by a maximal bike test . Parents reported their weight , height , and educational level . RESULTS Being male ( vs female ) and Estonian ( vs Swedish ) was related to higher risk for incident overweight/obesity . Change in fitness was a stronger predictor of incident overweight/obesity than childhood fitness , parental overweight , or parental education . The risk of developing overweight/obesity was reduced 10 % every 1 mL·kg(-1)·min(-1 ) of VO(2max ) increase ( odds ratio = 0.90 and 95 % confidence interval = 0.84 - 0.95 ) after adjustment for a set of confounders including baseline body mass index and without differences by gender . CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that improvements in fitness from childhood to adolescence are associated with a lower risk of becoming overweight/obese in adolescence . The current findings highlight the importance of promoting fitness through physical exercise from early stages in life , as a promising strategy to fight against overweight and obesity . Gender and country differences observed in this study require social and political attention Self-reported rates of participation in sport vary by country . In the UK , about 40 % of men and women aged 16 years or older participate in at least one sport every week . Although few data exist to assess trends for participation in sport , there is little evidence of change in the past decade among adults . Large cohort studies suggest that such participation in sport is associated with a 20 - 40 % reduction in all-cause mortality compared with non-participation . R and omised trials and crossover clinical studies suggest that playing sport is associated with specific health benefits . Some sports have relatively high injury risk although neuromuscular training programmes can prevent various lower extremity injuries . Clinicians can influence a large number of patients through brief interventions that promote physical activity , and encouragement toward participation in sport for some physically inactive patients qualifies as evidence -based therapy . Exercise might also be considered as a fifth vital sign and should be recorded in patients ' electronic medical records and routine histories
It is unclear from these results whether sports programs , as currently offered , protect youth from becoming overweight or obese .
Sport is a promising setting for obesity prevention among youth , but little is known about whether it prevents obesity .