Treating childhood obesity in a public school setting

Experience at an elementary school in Petaluma, CA, demonstrates that daily group exercise as part of a nutrition education program can help obese children attain normal weight-for-height. Such an exercise program requires minimal equipment and may be led by a classroom aide or volunteer parent at minimal cost. Dramatic improvement in participants' weight-for-height status may occur provided that student interest and attendance is maintained over a period of several months.