The Impact of a Community-Based Childhood Obesity Prevention Program on Children¡¯s Physical Activity and Fitness

Furong Xu^1, , Mary L. Greaney¹, Stephanie Marchand², Celeste Corcoran³, Heather Di Biasio⁴, Jane Baruch¹, Deborah Riebe¹ and Geoffrey W. Greene⁵

¹Department of Kinesiology, University of Rhode Island, Independence Square II, Kingston, Rhode Island, United States

²Kinder Health RI, Wakefield, Rhode Island, United States

³Coastal Medical Narragansett Bay Pediatrics, South Kingstown, Rhode Island, United States

⁴Wakefield Pediatrics, Wakefield, Rhode Island, United States

⁵Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Fogarty Hall, Kingston, Rhode Island, United States

Cite this paper:
Furong Xu, Mary L. Greaney, Stephanie Marchand, Celeste Corcoran, Heather Di Biasio, Jane Baruch, Deborah Riebe and Geoffrey W. Greene. The Impact of a Community-Based Childhood Obesity Prevention Program on Children¡¯s Physical Activity and Fitness. Journal of Physical Activity Research. 2017; 2(1):44-49. doi: 10.12691/jpar-2-1-8

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of South County Food, Fitness and Fun (SCFFF), a 16-week community-based obesity prevention program, on children¡¯s moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), physical fitness, body mass index (BMI), and BMI z-score. A non-randomized pre-test and post-test study design was used to assess changes in MVPA, physical fitness, BMI and BMI z-score from baseline to program end. MVPA was measured by accelerometer, physical fitness measured by Fitnessgram, and height and weight were measured by stadiometer and scale and used to calculate BMI. The analytic sample for this study included 53 children from nine SCFFF programs conducted between 2011-2016. There was a significant increase in the percentage of time children spent participating in MVPA (1.12%; p=0.022), curl-ups (p<0.001) and trunk lifts (p=0.004). BMI z-score decreased (p<0.001). Results reinforce the importance of offering community-based interventions that include caregivers to prevent excess weight gain in children.

Keywords:
children physical activity physical fitness obesity overweight community-based intervention

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