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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #284437
Title: School based obesity intervention: Inclusion of peers

Author
item JOHNSTON, CRAIG - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item MORENO, JENNY - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item EL-MUBASHER, ABEER - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item PAPAIOANNOU, MARIA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item WOEHLER, DEBORAH - The Cluthe And William B Oliver Foundation

Submitted to: Annual Scientific Meeting NAASO, The Obesity Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/13/2012
Publication Date: 9/21/2012
Citation: Johnston, C.A., Moreno, J.P., El-Mubasher, A.A., Papaioannou, M.A., Woehler, D.L. 2012. School based obesity intervention: Inclusion of peers[abstract]. In: Proceedings of 30th Annual Scientific Meeting NAASO, The Obesity Society, September 20-24, 2012, San Antonio, Texas. p. s128-s129.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The increasing prevalence of childhood obesity and the comorbid physical and psychological health problems highlight a pressing need to identify effective treatments that address this public health problem during the childhood years. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate a school-based pediatric obesity program for middle-school children. A total of 163 adolescents between the ages of 11 and 12 were recruited, with 74 adolescents being at or above the 85th percentile for body mass index (BMI). Participants were randomized to a peer-mentor intervention (PM, n=38) or treatment as usual (TAU, n=36) condition. The PM condition received nutrition education that included lifestyle change techniques once a week and participated in physical activity the other 4 days of the week. The PM condition was led by peer mentors and program staff. The TAU condition received a typical health and physical education class. Repeated Measures ANOVA was used to evaluate weight changes between the groups using standardized BMIs from baseline to 3 months. Adolescents in the PM condition significantly reduced their zBMI when compared to the adolescents in the TAU condition (F = 5.7, p less than 0.05). This study suggests that an integrated health program supported by peers is a promising approach for school-based pediatric obesity prevention.