Two year follow-up results from the Christchurch Obesity Prevention Project in Schools (CHOPPS)
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The prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing at an alarming rate. Longitudinal results following a randomised controlled trial conducted in schools from southwest England were used so as to assess the long term effects of an obesity prevention programme. The intervention was conducted over one school year, with four sessions of focused education promoting a healthy diet and discouraging consumption of carbonated drinks. Of the original sample of 644 children aged 7-11, follow-up data from 434 children were obtained three years after baseline. For data analysis, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were converted to z scores and to centile values with growth reference curves. At follow-up, age- and sex-specific BMI z scores had increased in the control group (by 0.10) but decreased in the intervention group (by -0.01), with a mean difference of 0.10 (P=0.06). The prevalence of overweight increased in both groups but the significant difference observed at 12 months was no longer significant three years after baseline. BMI increased in the control group by 2.14 and in the intervention group by 1.88 kg/m2, the between-group difference of 0.26 being not significant. Likewise, no significant between-group difference in waist circumference increment was observed after three years. In conclusion, the difference in prevalence of overweight seen at 12 months following a simple year long intervention focused on reducing consumption of carbonated drinks was not sustained at three years.
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