1. Impact of the Coordinated Approach to Child Health Early Childhood Program for Obesity Prevention among Preschool Children: The Texas Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration Study.
- Author
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Sharma SV, Vandewater E, Chuang RJ, Byrd-Williams C, Kelder S, Butte N, and Hoelscher DM
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Body Mass Index, Child, Child, Preschool, Cross-Sectional Studies, Exercise, Female, Humans, Male, Pediatric Obesity epidemiology, Sedentary Behavior, Texas epidemiology, Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena, Diet statistics & numerical data, Health Promotion, Pediatric Obesity prevention & control, Program Evaluation
- Abstract
Background: This study presents the impact of a 2-year implementation of Coordinated Approach to Child Health Early Childhood (CATCH EC), a preschool-based healthy nutrition and physical activity program, on child BMI z-scores, BMI percentiles, diet, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors among 3- to 5-year old children across Head Start centers in Houston and Austin, Texas., Methods: We used a quasi-experimental study design with serial cross-sectional data collection (Intervention catchment area: n = 12 centers, 353 parent-child dyads in Year 1; n = 12 centers, 365 parent-child dyads; Comparison catchment area: n = 13 centers in year 1, 319 parent child dyads; and n = 12 centers, 483 parent-child dyads in year 2). Child height and weight were measured and parent self-report surveys were conducted at year 1 (fall 2012) and year 2 (spring 2014)., Results: In year 1, 34.8% of the children were overweight or obese, 74% were Hispanic, and >80% reported an annual household income of <$25,000. In year 2, 32.2% were overweight or obese, 72% were Hispanic, and 82.3% reported an annual income of <$25,000. Results demonstrated significantly lower child BMI z-scores [β = -0.26 (95% confidence interval, CI: -0.50 to -0.01), p = 0.041] and BMI percentiles [β = -6.5 (95% CI: -12.4 to -0.69), p = 0.028] from year 1 to 2 follow-up among those in intervention Head Start centers, compared to those in the comparison centers. There were no significant between-group changes in child dietary, physical activity, or screen time behaviors., Conclusion: Implementation of a preschool-based obesity prevention program can be modestly effective in lowering the prevalence of child overweight in low-income populations.
- Published
- 2019
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