H S Lai, W T Hsu, Y J Ko, H H Cheng, S E Kuo and H C Lu
National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Taiwan
Posters-Accepted Abstracts: J Nutr Food Sci
Introduction: Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. Overweight and obesity is associated with many diet-related chronic diseases including diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease and hypertension. Purpose / Methods: To investigate the effects of a combined intervention of diet and physical activity in obese children and adolescents. This 6-week weight management program gave lectures to develop healthful behaviors with dietician, trainer, chef involved. Each lecture includes nutrition education, physical activity and we also provide meal boxes with low calorie and high fiber. Intervention strategies cover a variety of assistive tools, involving cooking and learning nutritional knowledge through games. Those participants� parent also joined the program. Nutritional knowledge and dietary behavior were assessed by questionnaire. Results: Seven obese subjects aged 8 to 13 years completed a 6-week summer program for weight management. Data demonstrated a 43% participant�s decrease in BMI compare with baseline. Nutritional knowledge was improved for all participants. Although nutrition education improved participants� nutritional knowledge, it didn�t show proportional to healthy dietary behaviors. Only 50 percent of participants improved their dietary behavior during the program. Satisfaction survey showed positive response at 98% and 99% in children and parents, respectively Conclusions: Our data demonstrated that nutrition knowledge could be improved in obese children and adolescents by a 6-week weight management program.
Email: laihs@mail.ncku.edu.tw
