A 4-year, cluster-randomized, controlled childhood obesity prevention study: STOPP

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Health
• Public Health Interventions
• Nutrition Science

Background:

• Childhood overweight and obesity are significant public health concerns.
• Effective interventions are needed to address this growing epidemic in school-aged children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based intervention program aimed at reducing overweight prevalence in 6- to 10-year-old children.
• To assess the intervention's impact on physical activity, eating habits, and eating disorders.

Main Methods:

• A cluster-randomized controlled study involving 3135 children in grades 1-4 across 10 schools in Stockholm.
• Intervention schools promoted low-fat dairy and whole grains, eliminated sweets/sweetened drinks, and encouraged 30 minutes of daily physical activity (PA).
• Physical activity was measured by accelerometry; eating habits and disorders were assessed via parental report and self-report, respectively.

Main Results:

• The prevalence of overweight and obesity decreased by 3.2% in intervention schools versus an increase of 2.8% in control schools (P<0.05).
• A significantly higher proportion of overweight children in the intervention group achieved normal weight (14%) compared to the control group (7.5%) (P=0.017).
• Intervention positively impacted home eating habits, though no significant differences in PA or eating disorders were observed between groups.

Conclusions:

• School-based interventions can effectively reduce overweight and obesity rates in young children.
• The intervention's success appears linked to improved healthy eating habits at school and home, rather than increased physical activity.
• Findings suggest a promising approach for public health strategies targeting pediatric obesity.