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Clinical Trial
. 2004 May 22;328(7450):1237.
doi: 10.1136/bmj.38077.458438.EE. Epub 2004 Apr 23.

Preventing childhood obesity by reducing consumption of carbonated drinks: cluster randomised controlled trial

Janet James  1 , Peter Thomas, David Cavan, David Kerr
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Preventing childhood obesity by reducing consumption of carbonated drinks: cluster randomised controlled trial

Janet James et al. BMJ. .

Erratum in

  • BMJ. 2004 May 22;328(7450):1236

Abstract

Objective: To determine if a school based educational programme aimed at reducing consumption of carbonated drinks can prevent excessive weight gain in children.

Design: Cluster randomised controlled trial.

Setting: Six primary schools in southwest England.

Participants: 644 children aged 7-11 years.

Intervention: Focused educational programme on nutrition over one school year.

Main outcome measures: Drink consumption and number of overweight and obese children.

Results: Consumption of carbonated drinks over three days decreased by 0.6 glasses (average glass size 250 ml) in the intervention group but increased by 0.2 glasses in the control group (mean difference 0.7, 95% confidence interval 0.1 to 1.3). At 12 months the percentage of overweight and obese children increased in the control group by 7.5%, compared with a decrease in the intervention group of 0.2% (mean difference 7.7%, 2.2% to 13.1%).

Conclusion: A targeted, school based education programme produced a modest reduction in the number of carbonated drinks consumed, which was associated with a reduction in the number of overweight and obese children.

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Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
Trial profile for anthropometric measurements
Fig 2
Fig 2
Mean change in prevalence of overweight and obese children from baseline to follow up at 12 months according to clusters
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

References

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