The CHANGE! Project: Changes in Body Composition and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in 10- to 11-Year-Old Children After Completing the CHANGE! Intervention.

PURPOSE: To assess the effects of the Children's Health, Activity and Nutrition: Get Educated! intervention on body size, body composition, and peak oxygen uptake in a subsample of 10- to 11-year-old children.

METHODS

Sixty children were recruited from 12 schools (N = 6 intervention) to take part in the CHANGE! subsample study. Baseline, postintervention, and follow-up measures were completed in October 2010, March-April 2011, and June-July 2011, respectively. Outcome measures were body mass index z score, waist circumference, body composition assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (baseline and follow-up only), and peak oxygen uptake.

RESULTS

Significant differences in mean trunk fat mass (control = 4.72 kg, intervention = 3.11 kg, P = .041) and trunk fat % (control = 23.08%, intervention = 17.75%, P = .022) between groups were observed at follow-up. Significant differences in waist circumference change scores from baseline to follow-up were observed between groups (control = 1.3 cm, intervention = -0.2 cm, P = .023). Favorable changes in body composition were observed in the intervention group; however, none of these changes reached statistical significance. No significant differences in peak oxygen uptake were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the present study suggest the multicomponent curriculum intervention had small to medium beneficial effects on body size and composition health outcomes.