Multifaceted community‐based intervention reduces rate of BMI growth in obese Mexican‐origin boys. Issue 3 (13th April 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sadeghi, B.; Kaiser, L. L.; Schaefer, S.; Tseregounis, I. E.; Martinez, L.; Gomez‐Camacho, R.; de la Torre, A.
• Is Part Of: Pediatric obesity. Volume 12:Issue 3(2017:Jun.)
• Page Start: 247
• Page End: 256
• Publication Date: 2016-04-13
• Subjects: Childhood obesity -- Mexican‐origin communities -- multifaceted community‐based intervention -- rural area communities; Obesity in children -- Periodicals; Obesity in adolescence -- Periodicals; Obesity -- Periodicals; Overweight children -- Periodicals; 618.92398
• DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.12135
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1747-7174

Abstract

Summary: Background: Latino children and youth have some of the highest rates of overweight and obesity. Early intervention is important to prevent future obesity and illness in this population. Methods: A 3‐year, multifaceted intervention was designed to reduce the rate of growth of body mass index (BMI) among Mexican‐origin children. Two communities in California's agricultural Central Valley were targeted for intervention and comparison. To assess impact, anthropometric measures of participating children ( N = 422) were collected and analysed at baseline and after 1 year of intervention. Results: After 1 year of intervention, triceps skin‐fold thickness in girls showed a significant decrease in unadjusted analysis between children in the two communities. In multivariate analysis, a reduction in BMI growth was seen among obese boys in the intervention community ( ß ‐coefficient = −1.94, P = 0.05). Obese boys in the intervention community also had a smaller increase in waist circumference ( ß ‐coefficient = −5.2, P = 0.04) than the comparison community. Conclusions: These early findings indicate the intervention's effectiveness for preventing BMI growth among obese boys. Longitudinal follow‐up is needed to determine the sustainability of results and whether similar results extend to obese girls and overweight boys or girls.