Impact of a School-Based Pediatric Obesity Prevention Program Facilitated by Health Professionals

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated a school-based obesity intervention for elementary school children (N=835) where health professionals assisted teachers with the integration of healthy messages into the school curriculum. METHODS: Schools were randomized into a professional-facilitated intervention (PFI; N=4) or a self-help (SH; N=3) condition. Changes in weight-based outcomes were assessed in students enrolled in the second grade from all 7 schools (overall: N=835 students; PFI: N=509 students, SH: N=326 students). Students were between ages 7 and 9 and from diverse ethnic backgrounds (Asian=25.3%, Black=23.3%, Hispanic=23.1%, White=28.3%). The sample included 321 overweight/obese (BMI≥85th percentile), 477 normal-weight (BMI≥5th percentile and <85th percentile), and 37 underweight (BMI<5th percentile) students. RESULTS: After 2years, children who were overweight/obese in the PFI condition significantly reduced their standardized BMI (zBMI) compared to children in the SH condition (Wald χ²=28.7, p<.001). End-of-year grades decreased for overweight/obese students in both conditions; however, students in the PFI exhibited a smaller decrease in grades compared to the SH condition (Wald χ²=80.3, p<.001). CONCLUSION: The results indicate that an obesity prevention program where health professionals assist teachers by integrating healthy messages into existing curriculum was effective in reducing zBMI compared to the SH condition.