[School-based intervention trial for cardiovascular health]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric cardiovascular health
• Preventive medicine in schools
• Public health interventions

Background:

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors often emerge in childhood.
• Early intervention is crucial for long-term cardiovascular health.
• School-based programs offer a feasible platform for primary CVD prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based intervention trial for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.
• To assess changes in cardiovascular risk factors in children aged 10 to 13.
• To determine if the intervention impacts girls and boys differently.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 701 children in the intervention group and 663 in the control group.
• Measurement of cardiovascular risk factors at baseline (age 10) and follow-up (age 13).
• Analysis of outcomes including HDL-cholesterol, atherogenic index, and obesity index.

Main Results:

• Girls in the intervention group showed significantly higher HDL-cholesterol and lower atherogenic index.
• Obese girls in the intervention group had a higher frequency of reduced obesity index.
• No significant differences in body size or cholesterol measures were observed in boys between groups.

Conclusions:

• School-based cardiovascular health interventions can effectively reduce atherosclerosis risk factors in girls.
• The intervention demonstrated positive impacts on specific cardiovascular markers in adolescent girls.
• Further research may be needed to optimize interventions for boys' cardiovascular health.