1. Reducing risk factors for childhood obesity: The Tommie Smith Youth Athletic Initiative
- Author
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Topp, Robert, Jacks, Dean E., Wedig, Rita Thomas, Newman, Jamie L., Tobe, Lisa, and Hollingsworth, Angela
- Subjects
Teenagers -- Physiological aspects ,Youth -- Physiological aspects ,Obesity in children -- Physiological aspects ,Obesity in children -- Risk factors ,Children -- Health aspects ,Children -- Physiological aspects ,Health ,Health care industry - Abstract
This study has sought to determine if the Tommie Smith Youth Athletic Initiative (TSYAI) intervention could decrease the risk factors for childhood obesity among children 5 to 10 years of age. The TSYAI intervention is a 14-week after-school intervention for students in Grades K-5 that was started during the spring of 2008. It serves 63 children in a predominantly African American elementary school. The intervention consists of supervised after-school sessions 3 days per week. These sessions include 2 days of physical activity (flexibility, resistance, and track-and-field training) and 1 day of 45 min of nutrition education modules based on the Transtheoretical Model of behavior change followed by 45 min of group physical activity. Ninety-two percent of the participants are African American and 60% are overweight or obese (>85th percentile BMI for age and gender). The findings indicate that the TSYAI intervention significantly improves the participant's cardiovascular fitness, body composition, and dietary habits. Keywords: exercise; pediatrics; diet and eating
- Published
- 2009