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Randomized controlled trial of the MEND program: a family-based community intervention for childhood obesity

Paul M Sacher1, Maria Kolotourou, Paul M Chadwick

  • 1MRC Childhood Nutrition Research Centre, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK. p.sacher@ich.ucl.ac.uk

Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)
|January 29, 2010
PubMed

Insights

The Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do it (MEND) Program effectively reduced childhood obesity by improving BMI and waist circumference. This community-based intervention also enhanced fitness, physical activity, and self-esteem in obese children.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Childhood obesity is a significant public health concern with long-term health implications.
  • Multicomponent interventions targeting lifestyle factors are crucial for managing pediatric obesity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effectiveness of the Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do it (MEND) Program, a community-based intervention for childhood obesity.
  • To assess changes in anthropometric measures, physical activity, and psychological well-being in obese children.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized controlled trial involving 116 obese children assigned to an intervention or control group.
  • The intervention included group educational and physical activity sessions, followed by a family swimming pass.
  • Measurements included waist circumference, BMI, body composition, physical activity, sedentary behaviors, cardiovascular fitness, and self-esteem at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months.

Main Results:

  • The intervention group showed significant reductions in waist circumference z-score (-0.37) and BMI z-score (-0.24) at 6 months compared to controls.
  • Sustained benefits were observed at 12 months, with further reductions in waist and BMI z-scores and improvements in fitness, activity levels, and self-esteem.
  • High attendance rates (86%) indicated program acceptability among families.

Conclusions:

  • The MEND Program is an effective community-based intervention for reducing childhood obesity and improving related health outcomes.
  • The intervention demonstrates sustained positive effects on anthropometric measures, physical activity, and psychological well-being.
  • Further large-scale controlled trials are warranted to confirm these promising findings.

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