Report on Childhood Obesity in China (8): Effects and Sustainability of Physical Activity Intervention on Body Composition of Chinese Youth

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0895-3988(10)60050-5Get rights and content

Objectives

To determine whether a large-scale physical activity intervention could affect body composition in primary school students in Beijing, China.

Methods

The study design was one-year cluster randomized controlled trial of physical activity intervention (20 min of daily exercise in the classroom) with an additional year of follow-up among 4 700 students aged 8-11 years at baseline.

Results

After the one-year intervention, BMI increased by 0.56 kg/m2 (SD 1.15) in the intervention group and by 0.72 kg/m2 (SD 1.20) in the control group, with a mean difference of −0.15 kg/m2 (95% CI: −0.28 to −0.02). BMI z score decreased by −0.05 (SD 0.44) in the intervention group, but increased by 0.01 (SD 0.46) in the control group, with a mean difference of −0.07 (−0.13 to −0.01). After another year of follow up, compared to the control group, children in the intervention group had significantly lower BMI (−0.13, −0.25 to −0.01), BMI z score (−0.05, −0.10 to −0.01), fat mass (−0.27 kg, −0.53 to −0.02) and percent body fat (−0.53, −1.00 to −0.05). The intervention had a more pronounced effect on weight, height, BMI, BMI z score, and body composition among obese children than among normal weight or overweight children. Compared to the control group, the intervention group had a significantly higher percentage of children who maintained or reduced their BMI z score at year 1 (P=0.008) and year 2 (P=0.04).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that 20 min of daily moderate to vigorous physical activity during the school year is a feasible and effective way to prevent excessive gain of body weight, BMI, and body fatness in primary school students.

Key words

Intervention
BMI
School
China

Cited by (0)

Biographical note of the first author: Yan-Ping LI, female, born in 1972, associate professor.

This research was supported by Nutricia Research Foundation.

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