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Play as a Method to Reduce Overweight and Obesity in Children: An RCT
Antonio Manuel Sánchez-López1,2, María José Menor-Rodríguez2,3, Juan Carlos Sánchez-García2,4
1Department of Human Motricity and Sports Performance, University of Seville, 41004 Seville, Spain.
Insights
A play-based intervention significantly reduced body fat in overweight children aged 8-12. This program, incorporating physical activity and nutrition, improved body composition unlike nutritional advice alone.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Obesity Research
- Behavioral Interventions
Background:
- Childhood overweight and obesity stem from intricate genetic and environmental interactions, with origins potentially starting prenatally.
- Addressing pediatric obesity requires effective interventions targeting lifestyle factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a play-based intervention's efficacy in improving body composition among overweight or obese children.
- To compare the effects of a combined physical activity, play, and nutritional intervention with nutritional advice alone.
Main Methods:
- The Kids-Play study employed a randomized clinical trial (RCT) design.
- A nine-month intervention involved 49 children (aged 8-12) in a program of physical activity, play, and nutritional guidance.
- A control group of 49 children received only nutritional advice.
Main Results:
- The intervention group achieved 81.18 minutes/day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, compared to 37.34 minutes/day in the control group.
- Body fat decreased from 41.66% to 38.85% in the intervention group.
- Body fat increased from 38.83% to 41.4% in the control group.
Conclusions:
- A combined play-based and nutritional intervention effectively reduced body fat in children aged 8-12.
- Nutritional advice alone was insufficient to prevent an increase in body weight in the control group.
Background:
Overweight and obesity are the result of a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors, which begins prenatally.
Aim:
To analyse an intervention based on play as a means of improving the body composition of children who are overweight or obese.
Methods:
The Kids-Play study is a randomized clinical trial (RCT) consisting of 49 children aged 8-12 years on a nine-month intervention programme based on physical activity, play and nutritional advice. Controls had another 49 children, who received only nutritional advice.
Results:
The play-based intervention achieved a moderate-vigorous level of physical activity in the study group of 81.18 min per day, while the corresponding level for the control group was only 37.34 min. At the start of the intervention, the children in the study group had an average body fat content of 41.66%, a level that decreased to 38.85% by the end of the programme. Among the control group, body fat increased from 38.83% to 41.4% during the same period.
Conclusions:
The intervention programme considered, based on both play and nutritional recommendations, produced a decrease in body fat among children aged 8-12 years. However, the control group, which received only nutritional recommendations, experienced an increase in body weight.
