Objective: The design of effective obesity interventions to reduce adiposity and increase fitness in minority children is a public health priority. This study assessed the effectiveness of a summer intervention in lowering adiposity and increasing aerobic endurance in minority girls.
Methods: 99 Hispanic and African American girls and their mothers participated. During the intervention, girls attended daily exercise, nutrition education, and counseling sessions from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Mothers attended 2-h weekly exercise, nutrition, and counseling sessions. Percent body fat, abdominal fat, and aerobic endurance (1-mile run/walk minutes) data were collected at pre- and post-intervention.
Results: A repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to test differences in adiposity indicators and aerobic endurance. Findings indicated statistically significant reductions in percent body fat (p < .001), abdominal fat (p < .001), and 1-mile run/walk minutes (p < .001).
Conclusions: This study demonstrated the effectiveness of a summer intervention in reducing adiposity indicators and increasing aerobic endurance.
Keywords: children; intervention outcome; obesity.