Addressing Health Disparities in Childhood Obesity, One Summer at a Time
Condition: Obesity, Childhood
MeSH terms: Obesity; Pediatric Obesity
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Almost 50% of Native American and Hispanic children are overweight or obese by the 5th grade.
      Research has demonstrated that the 'obesity gap' facing minority students is largely due to
      summer weight gain. However, very few summer programs have been tested among these
      populations. To encourage summer physical activity, the CDC developed a program that partners
      with local businesses to provide children with a 'scorecard' of subsidized or free local
      activities. The program has not been tested among Hispanic or Native American children. This
      study aims to test the impact of the scorecard program on Body Mass Index percentile,
      physical activity, sedentary behavior, barriers to physical activity and self-efficacy.
    

Detailed description: 
      Over 50% of Native American children are overweight or obese by 5th grade, with similar rates
      found among Hispanics. Native American children have been estimated to have 9 times the
      diabetes rates of non-Hispanic Whites, suggesting an impending public health crisis without
      action. Recent research has demonstrated that the 'obesity gap' facing minority students is
      largely due to summer weight gain, with rapid increases ages 7-11. However, statewide in
      Arizona, only 22% of children participate in summer activities, despite 65% of parents
      expressing interest. Thus, we know which populations are at highest risk, at what
      developmental age changes occur most rapidly and that interventions are most needed in the
      summer, but that this need is not being met. A modest amount of research has evaluated summer
      programming, but almost none among Native Americans/Hispanics.

      In 2004, the CDC developed a 'Summer Scorecard' intervention, a partnership with local
      businesses to provide children with a 'scorecard' of subsidized or free local activities. The
      Summer Scorecard program has not been tested among Hispanic and Native American children.
      Therefore, the current study propose to assess the effectiveness of the VSS among children
      ages 7-11 in the 4 highest risk elementary schools in the study area utilizing a randomized
      design. Two schools will participate in the first summer, and the remaining two children will
      participate in the second summer. Primary outcomes include objectively measured
      participation, body composition (BMI percentile), physical activity, sedentary behavior,
      reported barriers to physical activity and self-efficacy using survey instruments previously
      developed and tested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is hypothesized
      that children participating in the summer program will increase their physical activity,
      self-efficacy, reduce their reported barriers to physical activity. In addition, it is
      hypothesized that they will show reduction in BMI percentile score compared to averages in
      their school and the school district.
    

Intervention name(s): Summer activity program
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): Children receive a summer scorecard to facilitate access to local facilities for exercise.
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention model: Sequential Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention