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Clinical Trial
. 2016 Jun 24;18(6):e174.
doi: 10.2196/jmir.5584.

Decreased Body Mass Index in Schoolchildren After Yearlong Information Sessions With Parents Reinforced With Web and Mobile Phone Resources: Community Trial

Jenny Vilchis-Gil  1 , Miguel Klünder-Klünder, Ximena Duque, Samuel Flores-Huerta
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Decreased Body Mass Index in Schoolchildren After Yearlong Information Sessions With Parents Reinforced With Web and Mobile Phone Resources: Community Trial

Jenny Vilchis-Gil et al. J Med Internet Res. .

Abstract

Background: The obesity pandemic has now reached children, and households should change their lifestyles to prevent it.

Objective: The objective was to assess the effect of a comprehensive intervention on body mass index z-score (BMIZ) in schoolchildren.

Methods: A yearlong study was conducted at 4 elementary schools in Mexico City. Intervention group (IG) and control group (CG) were split equally between governmental and private schools. Three educational in-person parents and children sessions were held at 2-month intervals to promote healthy eating habits and exercise. To reinforce the information, a website provided extensive discussion on a new topic every 2 weeks, including school snack menus and tools to calculate body mass index in children and adults. Text messages were sent to parents' mobile phones reinforcing the information provided. The IG contained 226 children and CG 181 children. We measured their weight and height and calculated BMIZ at 0, 6, and 12 months.

Results: The CG children showed a change of +0.06 (95% CI 0.01, 0.11) and +0.05 (95% CI 0.01, 0.10) in their BMIZ at 6 and 12 months, respectively. The BMIZ of IG children decreased by -0.13 (95% CI -0.19 to -0.06) and -0.10 (95% CI -0.16 to -0.03), respectively, and the effect was greater in children with obesity.

Conclusions: The comprehensive intervention tested had beneficial effects, preserved the BMIZ of normal weight children, and reduced the BMIZ of children with obesity.

Keywords: Internet; child; early intervention (education); mobile phone; obesity; prevention.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Study population: screening results and follow-up.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Body mass index z-score (BMIZ) change in children during follow-up. Linear regression mixed effects model with random intercept, adjusted for baseline age and baseline BMIZ.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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