Effects of SHOW Intervention Program on Physical Activity and Fatness of Overweight and Obese Children: A...

This study examined the effect of a multicomponent intervention on physical activity (PA) levels and fatness of overweight and obese (OW/OB) children from low-income conditions. A total of 72 children aged 8 to 12years (10.2 ± 1.07) were allocated to an intervention (IG, n = 35) or a control group (CG, n = 37). The 16-week intervention comprised generalized sport teaching, health education, and family involvement, delivered twice a week. PA levels were assessed using accelerometers. Fatness indicators included body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and the sum of subscapular and tricipital skinfold thickness (∑ST). Assessments were performed at baseline and post-intervention, with analyses conducted under an intention-to-treat approach. Groups were comparable at baseline (p > .05). The majority of participants were male (69.2%) and classified as overweight (70.8%). Following the intervention, compared with baseline, the IG showed significant increases in PA across all intensities (p < .05), whereas the CG demonstrated no changes (p > .05). Regarding fatness, the IG exhibited reductions in WC, WHtR, and ∑ST (p < .05), while no changes were observed in the CG (p>.05). In the gender-stratified analyses, the intervention effects on all PA intensities remained significant only for boys. A 16-week multicomponent intervention program-including generalized sport instruction, health education, and family participation-implemented in the extracurricular period increased daily PA across all intensities in boys and reduced fatness in both boys and girls in OW/OB children.