Effectiveness of Childhood Overweight and Obesity Control Program

Abstract

Childhood overweight and obesity is one of the most serious public health problems. The study objective was to determine the effectiveness of a childhood overweight and obesity control program. This randomized control trial study was implemented 6 months in a primary school, involving 39 students in the intervention group and 40 students in the control group. This intervention used various techniques including individuals, friends, family members (supportive environments), and school (supportive environments and school programs). The results showed the mean difference of BMI, body fat and subcutaneous fat among intervention group all significantly decreased 2.5 kg/m², 3.1%, and 1.1 cm, respectively. In addition, QALYs was significantly higher by 1.4 years than the control group after intervention. The successful childhood overweight and obesity control program could be achieved through a combination of multilevel programs including individuals, family members and school policies.