NEW YORK (Reuters Health) -
Philadelphia schools that cut
out soda, revamped snack selections and took other measures to
prevent childhood obesity were able to halve the odds of
students becoming overweight by sixth grade, a study has found.
Among fourth-graders at five schools that instituted the
new nutrition policy, 7.5 percent became overweight over the
next 2 years, compared with 15 percent of students at five city
schools that did not make the changes, researchers report in
the journal Pediatrics.
The findings show that a comprehensive approach to battling
childhood obesity in schools can make a significant difference,
according to lead researcher Dr. Gary D. Foster of Temple
University.
Schools have been at the center of the controversy over
what to do about U.S. children's rising rates of overweight and
obesity. Critics have pointed to vending machines, sugary "a la
carte" items in school cafeterias, and reductions in gym class
as part of the problem.
At the same time, schools are considered the ideal place
for children to learn healthy eating and exercise habits, and
various school-based programs have been developed with that
aim. The results have been mixed, however.
For their study, Foster and his colleagues evaluated a
program developed by a non-profit community group called the
Food Trust. Ten schools enrolled in the study; half were
randomly assigned to adopt the nutrition program, while the
other half served as a comparison group.
Schools in the program made an array of changes. They
replaced soda with water, low-fat milk and 100-percent fruit
juice, and rid vending machines and cafeterias of snacks that
did not meet certain nutrition criteria. They educated students
on how diet and exercise affect their health, and gave them
raffle tickets for bikes and other prizes to reward them for
choosing healthy snacks.
The schools also got parents involved through meetings and
nutrition workshops that encouraged them to give their kids
more fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods.
Among the 1,349 students Foster's team followed from fourth
to sixth grade. As mentioned, there was about a 50 percent
reduction in the incidence (new cases) of overweight at the end
of 2 years among the children attending the program schools,
while no changes were seen among the children attending the
schools without a program.
The prevalence (total number) of overweight children also
declined during the study period in the program group. However,
no differences in the prevalence of obesity were seen between
the program group and the comparison group.
The results, Foster told Reuters Health, underscore the
benefits of schools having a comprehensive nutrition program,
rather than taking only individual measures -- like removing
vending machines, for instance.
He and his colleagues also stress that the urban schools in
this study had largely low-income, minority student populations
-- children who are at particularly high risk of obesity. Black
children appeared to particularly benefit from the nutrition
policy.
In the sixth grade, the study found, African-American
children in these schools were 41 percent less likely to be
overweight than African Americans in the comparison schools.
Despite the success, Foster's team writes, the fact that
7.5 percent of children in the program schools still became
overweight shows that even more needs to be done.
They say that obesity-prevention programs should start
before fourth grade, and possibly include a broader range of
measures -- such as devoting more time to gym class and
enlisting the corner stores near schools to offer healthier
snack options.
SOURCE: Pediatrics, April 2008.
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