ARS | Publication request: Obesity prevention for Mexican American children: for whom is it most effective?

Submitted to: Journal of Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: April 28, 2007
Publication Date: April 28, 2007
Citation: Tyler, C., Johnston, C.A., El-Mubasher, A., Carvalho, S., McFarlin, B., Foreyt, J.P. 2007. Obesity prevention for Mexican American children: For whom is it most effective [abstract]? Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal. 21(5):A325.

Technical Abstract: The objective of the current study was to determine which Mexican American children benefited most from an obesity prevention program. Data used were taken from a larger randomized clinical trial in which participants received either an intensive (IP) or a self-help (SH) program for preventing the onset of adult obesity. Children in IP lost significantly more weight than those in SH. This study used children from the IP (n=106) condition only. Children aged 10 to 14 years were classified according to weight status (normal (N), n=35; at risk of overweight (ARO), n=21; overweight (O), n=50). N children showed no change in body mass index standardized for age and gender (zbmi; t=.85, p<.001 at 12 months) and little change in weight status over time (>97% remained N). ARO and O children, however, showed significant changes in zbmi (t=.54, p<.01; t=.81, p<.001, respectively) and weight status from baseline to 12 months (48% of ARO changed to N and 10% of O changed to ARO). The decrease in zbmi for ARO children was significantly greater than that of the O children (F=4.8, p<.05), indicating intervention may be most effective for ARO children. We concluded that it is important to understand differences in how prevention programs benefit participants from various weight classifications.