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School-based obesity prevention: a blueprint for taming the epidemic
Tom Baranowski1, Karen W Cullen, Theresa Nicklas
1Children's Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030-2600, USA. tbaranow@bcm.tmc.edu
Objective:
To review the literature on school-based obesity prevention programs to identify what can be done to minimize the increasing levels of obesity.
Methods:
Twenty articles reporting school-based dietary or physical activity change programs were identified that used BMI or skinfolds as part of the evaluation.
Results:
Seven studies obtained change in BMI and differed from those not finding change in 3 ways: program implementers were not classroom teachers; intervention targeted middle or high schools; and inactivity reduction was promoted.
Conclusions:
An 8-step research strategy was delineated to develop and evaluate programs with a maximum chance of taming the obesity epidemic.