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Title: School-based weight management program curbs summer weight gain among low-income Hispanic middle school students

Author
item REESOR, LAYTON - University Of Houston
item MORENO, JENNETTE - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item JOHNSTON, CRAIG - University Of Houston
item HERNANDEZ, DAPHNE - University Of Houston

Submitted to: Journal of School Health
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/25/2018
Publication Date: 1/1/2019
Citation: Reesor, L., Moreno, J.P., Johnston, C.A., Hernandez, D.C. 2019. School-based weight management program curbs summer weight gain among low-income Hispanic middle school students. Journal of School Health. 89(1):59-67. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12713.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12713

Interpretive Summary: Research shows that elementary students gain weight during the summer break from school. It is unknown if these findings apply to Hispanic adolescents. We evaluated changes in standardized body mass index (zBMI) during the school year and summer among Hispanic middle school students who received a weight management program or a control group and found that zBMI increased during the summer for all students in our study, suggesting that all children increased their level of body fatness during the summer break from school. However, children who received the school-based weight management program increased their zBMI more slowly during summer compared to children in the control group suggesting that the school-based weight management program protected overweight/obese students against potentially greater summer weight gain. Our study indicates the importance of exploring the causes of summer weight gain to maximize benefits of weight management programming and provide even greater protection against summer zBMI increases among adolescents.

Technical Abstract: Research shows that elementary students gain weight over the summer. It is unknown if these findings apply to Hispanic adolescents. We evaluated school and summer standardized body mass index (zBMI) changes in Hispanic middle school students. Hispanic middle school students were randomly assigned to a weight management program (N=230) or control condition (N=195). Paired sample t-tests compared zBMI change scores during the school year versus summer when not enrolled in a weight management program (eg, control group). We used 2x2 repeated measures analysis of variances to determine program group differences in zBMI scores across school versus summer periods separately for normal and overweight/obese students. In the control group, students' zBMI change scores decreased during the school year, but increased during summer for both normal weight and overweight/obese students. Program effects on zBMI indicated school year decreases and summer increases for both normal and overweight/obese students. However, zBMI scores did not differ by program status for normal weight students. Overweight/obese students in the program compared to the control group increased zBMI to a lesser extent over the summer. For all students, zBMI increased during the summer. A school-based weight management program protected overweight/obese students against potentially greater summer weight gain.