NHLBI IN THE PRESS

New study finds behavioral changes insufficient to prevent early childhood obesity

During the longest and largest obesity prevention study of its kind, young children and their families in poor communities made some achievable and sustainable behavioral changes, but the results were insufficient to prevent early childhood obesity, researchers say. 

The results of the Grow Right Onto Wellness (GROW) trial showed a short-term reduction in obesity that diminished over the three-year study period, despite changes such as improved, sustained nutrition and the use of neighborhood recreation centers. The study included a total of 610 parent-preschool child pairs, 90 percent of whom were Hispanic.

 It remains unclear what would be enough to prevent childhood obesity in underserved, low-income populations -- those most at-risk for obesity and its long-term health consequences, the researchers noted.  The study, which was partly funded by NHLBI, appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

"In the face of the childhood obesity epidemic, this study underscores the ongoing need to find effective prevention interventions, particularly among low-income minority populations who have a high prevalence of obesity," said Charlotte Pratt, PhD, RD, who is the NHLBI program director for the GROW trial and a co-author of the study.  

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