School randomised trial on prevention of excessive weight gain by discouraging students from drinking sodas

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether an educational programme aimed at discouraging students from drinking sugar-sweetened beverages could prevent excessive weight gain. Design: Forty-seven classes in twenty-two schools were randomised as intervention or control. Subjects: Participants were 1140, 9-12-year-old fourth graders (435 in the intervention group and 608 in the control group). Sugar-sweetened beverages and juice intake were measured through one 24 h recall at baseline and another at the end of the trial. The main outcome was the change in BMI (BMI 5 weight (kg)/height (m 2 )), measured at the beginning and at the end of the school year. Intentionto-treat analysis was performed taking into account the cluster (classes) effect. Results: A statistically significant decrease in the daily consumption of carbonated drinks in the intervention compared to control (mean difference 5 256 ml; 95 % CI 2119, 27 ml) was followed by a non-significant overall reduction in BMI, P 5 0?33. However, among those students overweight at baseline, the intervention group showed greater BMI reduction (20?4 kg/m 2 compared with 20?2 kg/m 2 in the control group (P 5 0?11)), and this difference was statistically significant among girls (P 5 0?009). Fruit juice consumption was slightly increased in the intervention group (P 5 0?08), but not among girls. Conclusion: Decreasing sugar-sweetened beverages intake significantly reduced BMI among overweight children, and mainly among girls. Efforts to reduce energy intake through liquids need to emphasise overall sweetened beverages and addition of sugar on juices.

Variation of BMI and anthropometric indicators of abdominal obesity in Brazilian adolescents from public schools, 2003–2008

“…This trend in overweight and obesity increase was also observed in 9-12-year-old public schools students investigated in a randomized clinical trial for prevention of obesity in the city of Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, comparing baseline and final data collected after one school year (3) . On the other hand, the prevalence of underweight decreased among Brazilian adolescents reaching about 3 % among boys and girls in [2008][2009] (2) .…”

Atividade física e alimentação saudável em escolares brasileiros: revisão de programas de intervenção

“…Três estudos foram excluídos por terem sido realizados com crianças e adolescentes obesos e um foi excluído por não estar disponível na íntegra no banco de dados pesquisado e, mesmo buscando contato com o autor, não obtivemos resposta. Dos 13 estudos revisados, foram encontrados sete artigos 11,12,13,14,15,16,17 , três dissertações 18,19,20 , duas teses 21,22 e um relatório 23 . As características gerais dos trabalhos como autoria, local e ano de execução, faixa etária da população, número amostral e tipo da escola estudada estão descritas na Tabela 1.…”

Reducao do uso de acucar em escolas publicas: ensaio randomizado por conglomerados

“…Data on consumption for children in public schools in Niterói (34.5 g; standard deviation (SD): 26.0 g) from a 2005 cross-sectional study 16 was used in order to estimate the necessary sample size for evaluating changes in the intake and availability of sugar. There would be 36 individuals needed in each group for a 10% decrease in intake (3.4 g), supposing 80% of power and a 0.05 level of signifi cance.…”

“…They provide the opportunity for continued, intense contact with children throughout their formative years and have infrastructure, offering the greatest potential to positively infl uence infant-juvenile health. 21 In Niterói, RJ, Southeastern Brazil, intervention studies with schoolchildren aiming at reducing consumption of soft drinks showed that a small decrease in their consumption was replaced by the consumption of juices with high levels of added sugar 16 and that the school lunch cooks participated very little in reducing added sugar.…”