Park-Based Obesity Intervention Program for Inner-City Minority Children

Objective To assess an intervention strategy—a 6-week obesity intervention program, Project KidFIT, at 3 Houston, Texas park centers—to address the obesity epidemic in minority children. Study design Project KidFIT is a physical fitness and nutrition education program aimed at promoting the benefits of physical activity and improving nutrition knowledge in overweight (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 95th percentile) minority children. Results A total of 120 minority children (77 boys and 43 girls; mean age, 10.1 years) were enrolled in the program. Approximately 71% of these children were at risk of overweight (BMI ≥ 85th percentile), and 54% were overweight. Decreases in body weight (0.3 ± 0.2 kg [mean ± standard error]) and BMI (0.1 ± 0.1 kg/m2 ) were detected in the overweight children, whereas increases in body weight (0.4 ± 0.1 kg) and BMI (0.2 ± 0.1 kg/m2 ) were observed in the children with normal body weight (BMI < 85th percentile but > 5th percentile). Significant improvements ( P < .05) in flexibility, muscular endurance, and muscular strength were detected in all children, regardless of weight status. Conclusions The findings suggest that the city park-based KidFIT program might be effective at promoting stabilization for body weight and BMI and improving physical activity performance and nutrition knowledge in overweight minority children.