Kids Need More Than Knowledge to Stay Fit

Making News:

Giving kids health information is not enough to get them in better shape. However, programs that provide active guidance specifically aimed at changing eating and exercise behaviors are helpful, according to a review of the research.

The reviewers, whose findings were published in the October 2007 issue of Health Psychology (2007; 26 [5], 521–32), examined 14 different studies of 527 children and teenagers, and found that kids who were simply provided information about healthy living were less successful at applying that knowledge than those who were given “any combination of diet, physical activity or behavioral treatment recommendations.” Interventions varied widely and included family counseling sessions that focused on diet; “child-only” physical training; diet and exercise combinations; and more. Researchers found that weight increased by 2.1% in the education-only group, whereas weight dropped by 8%–9% among subjects receiving specific, practical guidance. Study authors stated that “lifestyle interventions for pediatric overweight are efficacious in the short term, with some evidence for extended persistence.”