***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***DOCUMENTATION*** 
    ***EXAMPLES*** 
    Input: OBJECTIVE To assess the process variables involved in a weight loss program for African-American adolescent girls . Several process variables have been identified as affecting success in in vivo weight loss programs for adults and children , including program adherence , self-efficacy , and social support . The current study sought to broaden the underst and ing of these process variables as they pertain to an intervention program that is presented using the Internet . It was hypothesized that variables such as program adherence , dietary self-efficacy , psychological factors , and family environment factors would mediate the effect of the experimental condition on weight loss . RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES Participants were 57 adolescent African-American girls who joined the program with one obese parent ; family pairs were r and omized to either a behavioral or control condition in an Internet-based weight loss program .  Outcome data ( weight loss ) are reported for the first 6 months of the intervention . RESULTS Results partially supported the hypotheses . For weight loss among adolescents , parent variables pertaining to life and family satisfaction were the strongest mediating variables . For parental weight loss , changes in dietary practice s over the course of 6 months were the strongest mediators . DISCUSSION The identification of factors that enhance or impede weight loss for adolescents is an important step in improving weight loss programs for this group . The current findings suggest that family/parental variables exert a strong influence on weight loss efforts for adolescents and should be considered in developing future programs OBJECTIVES Motivating adolescents to adopt proper nutrition and physical activity behaviors is important in this nation 's fight to prevent obesity and chronic diseases . This study was conducted to determine which health education delivery method would elicit a greater behavior change . METHOD The intervention was conducted in three schools ( control , computer-based , and traditional education ) .  RESULTS Students who received the computer-based intervention showed increased knowledge ( p<0.001 ) , physical activity ( p=0.001 ) , self-efficacy ( p<0.001 ) , and social support ( p<0.001 ) , and decreased meals skipped ( p<0.001 ) . CONCLUSION The computer-based group showed more positive behavior changes . However , future programs may be enhanced by including group discussion and individual feedback Background Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions in developed countries . Sedentary screen-based activities such as video gaming are thought to displace active behaviors and are independently associated with obesity . Active video games , where players physically interact with images onscreen , may have utility as a novel intervention to increase physical activity and improve body composition in children . The aim of the Electronic Games to Aid Motivation to Exercise ( eGAME ) study is to determine the effects of an active video game intervention over 6 months on : body mass index ( BMI ) , percent body fat , waist circumference , cardio-respiratory fitness , and physical activity levels in overweight children . Methods / Design Three hundred and thirty participants aged 10–14 years will be r and omized to receive either an  active video game up grade package  or to a control group ( no intervention ) .  Discussion An overview of the eGAME study is presented , providing an example of a large , pragmatic r and omized controlled trial in a community setting . Reflection is offered on key issues encountered during the course of the study . In particular , investigation into the feasibility of the proposed intervention , as well as robust testing of proposed study procedures is a critical step prior to implementation of a large-scale trial . Trial registration Australian New Zeal and Clinical Trials Registry PURPOSE To examine the feasibility and efficacy of a theory-driven and family-based program delivered online to promote healthy lifestyles and weights in Chinese American adolescents . METHODS A r and omized controlled study of a web-based intervention was developed and conducted in 54 Chinese American adolescents ( ages , 12 - 15 years ) and their families .  Data on anthropometry , blood pressure , dietary intake , physical activity , and knowledge and self-efficacy regarding physical activity and nutrition were collected at baseline and 2 , 6 , and 8 months after the baseline assessment . Data were analyzed using linear mixed modeling . RESULTS The intervention result ed in significant decreases in waist-to-hip ratio and diastolic blood pressure and increases in vegetable and fruit intake , level of physical activity , and knowledge about physical activity and nutrition . CONCLUSION This web-based behavior program for Chinese American adolescents and their families seems feasible and effective in the short-term . Long-term effects remain to be determined . This type of program can be adapted for other minority ethnic groups who are at high-risk for overweight and obesity and have limited access to programs that promote healthy lifestyles PURPOSE To compare the effectiveness of two school-based internet obesity prevention programs  for diverse adolescents on  body mass index ( BMI ) , health behaviors , and self-efficacy , and to explore moderators of program efficacy . It was hypothesized that the addition of coping skills training to a health education and behavioral support program would further enhance health outcomes . METHODS A r and omized clinical trial with cluster r and omization by class and repeated measures with follow-up at 3 and 6 months was conducted ( n = 384 ) .  BMI was assessed by use of st and ard procedures . Sedentary behavior , physical activity , nutrition behavior , self-efficacy , and satisfaction were assessed with self-report measures . Data analysis consisted of mixed model analyses with autoregressive covariance structure for repeated data by use of intent-to-treat procedures . RESULTS The mean age of students was 15.31 years ( ±0.69 ) , with a mean BMI of 24.69 ( ±5.58 ) . The majority were girls ( 62 % ) and of diverse race/ethnicity ( 65 % non-white ) . There were no significant differences between groups on any outcomes and no change in BMI over time . There were significant improvements in health behaviors ( sedentary behavior , moderate and vigorous physical activity , healthy eating , fruit and vegetable intake , sugar beverages , and junk food intake ) and self-efficacy . Gender and lesson completion moderated select health outcomes . There was excellent participation and high satisfaction with the programs . CONCLUSIONS School-based internet obesity prevention programs are appealing to adolescents and improve health behaviors . The differential effect of coping skills training may require longer follow-up OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of a school-based health behavior intervention known as Planet Health on obesity among boys and girls in grade s 6 to 8 . DESIGN R and omized , controlled field trial with 5 intervention and 5 control schools . Outcomes were assessed using preintervention ( fall 1995 ) and follow-up measures ( spring 1997 ) , including prevalence , incidence , and remission of obesity . PARTICIPANTS A group of 1295 ethnically diverse grade 6 and 7 students from public schools in 4 Massachusetts communities . INTERVENTION Students participated in a school-based interdisciplinary intervention over 2 school years . Planet Health sessions were included within existing curricula using classroom teachers in 4 major subjects and physical education . Sessions focused on decreasing television viewing , decreasing consumption of high-fat foods , increasing fruit and vegetable intake , and increasing moderate and vigorous physical activity . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Obesity was defined as a composite indicator based on both a body mass index and a triceps skinfold value greater than or equal to age- and sex-specific 85th percentiles . Because schools were r and omized , rather than students , the generalized estimating equation method was used to adjust for individual-level covariates under cluster r and omization . RESULTS The prevalence of obesity among girls in intervention schools was reduced compared with controls , controlling for baseline obesity ( odds ratio , 0.47 ; 95 % confidence interval , 0.24 - 0.93 ; P = .03 ) , with no differences found among boys . There was greater remission of obesity among intervention girls vs. control girls ( odds ratio , 2.16 ; 95 % confidence interval , 1.07 - 4.35 ; P = .04 ) . The intervention reduced television hours among both girls and boys , and increased fruit and vegetable consumption and result ed in a smaller increment in total energy intake among girls . Reductions in television viewing predicted obesity change and mediated the intervention effect . Among girls , each hour of reduction in television viewing predicted reduced obesity prevalence ( odds ratio , 0.85 ; 95 % confidence interval , 0.75 - 0.97 ; P = .02 ) . CONCLUSION Planet Health decreased obesity among female students , indicating a promising school-based approach to reducing obesity among youth OBJECTIVE A r and omized controlled trial tested the efficacy of an internet-based lifestyle behavior modification program for African-American girls over a 2-year period of intervention . RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES Fifty-seven overweight ( mean BMI percentile , 98.3 ) African-American girls ( mean age , 13.2 years ) were r and omly assigned to an interactive behavioral internet program or an internet health education program , the control condition .  Overweight parents were also participants in the study . Forty adolescent-parent dyads ( 70 % ) completed the 2-year trial . Outcome data including BMI , body weight , body composition , and weight loss behaviors were collected at baseline and at 6-month intervals . A computer server tracked use of the web sites . RESULTS An intention-to-treat statistical approach was used , with the last observation carried forward . In comparison with the control condition , adolescents in the behavioral program lost more mean body fat ( BF ) ( -1.12 + /- 0.47 % vs. 0.43 + /- 0.47 % BF , p < 0.05 ) , and parents in the behavioral program lost significantly more mean body weight ( -2.43 + /- 0.66 vs. -0.35 + /- 0.64 kg , p < 0.05 ) during the first 6 months . This weight loss was regained over the next 18 months . After 2 years , differences in fat for adolescents ( -0.08 + /- 0.71 % vs. 0.84 + /- 0.72 % BF ) and weight for parents ( -1.1 + /- 0.91 vs. -0.60 + /- 0.89 kg ) did not differ between the behavioral and control programs . DISCUSSION An internet-based weight management program for African-American adolescent girls and their parents result ed in weight loss during the first 6 months but did not yield long-term loss due to reduced use of the web site over time OBJECTIVE . This study examined the efficacy of an Internet-facilitated intervention for weight maintenance and binge eating in adolescents . METHODS . A total of 105 adolescent male and female high school students at risk for overweight ( mean age : 15.1 ± 1.0 years ) were r and omly assigned to a 16-week online intervention , StudentBodies2-BED ( n = 52 ) , or the wait-list control group ( n = 53 ) . RESULTS . Participants in the StudentBodies2-BED group had significantly lower BMI z scores and BMI from baseline assessment to follow-up assessment , compared with the wait-list control group . In addition , significant reductions in objective binge episodes and subjective binge episodes from baseline assessment to posttreatment assessment and from baseline assessment to follow-up assessment were observed among StudentBodies2-BED participants . The StudentBodies2-BED group also reported significantly reduced weight and shape concerns from posttreatment assessment to follow-up assessment and from baseline assessment to follow-up assessment . Participants in the StudentBodies2-BED group who engaged in objective overeating or binge eating episodes at baseline assessment experienced a significantly greater reduction in BMI at follow-up assessment , compared with the wait-list control group . CONCLUSIONS . Results suggest that an Internet-facilitated intervention is moderately effective in short-term weight loss and weight maintenance and yields a large reduction in binge eating . This study also demonstrates that weight management and reduction of eating disorder psychopathological features can be achieved simultaneously by using an easily disseminated , Internet-facilitated program Background : Because physical inactivity poses serious health risks , interventions are urgently needed to reverse the increasingly sedentary lifestyles of adolescent girls . Objective : The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of " Girls on the Move , " an individually tailored computerized physical activity ( PA ) program plus nurse counseling intervention , in increasing PA . Methods : A pretest-posttest control group design was used with 77 racially diverse sedentary girls in Grade s 6 , 7 , and 8 from two middle schools . Each of the instructional grade s was r and omly assigned to either an intervention or control condition . After completing computerized question naires , each girl in the control group received a h and out listing the PA recommendations . To encourage PA , each girl in the intervention group received computerized , individually tailored feedback messages based on her responses to the question naires , individual counseling from the school 's pediatric nurse practitioner ( PNP ) , and telephone calls and mailings from a trained research assistant . At 12 weeks , girls in both groups responded to the question naires . Results : No differences in self-reported PA emerged between the intervention and control groups at Weeks 1 ( baseline ) and 12 ( postintervention ) . Repeated measures ANOVA showed a significant interaction between group and time for social support for PA , F(1 , 69 ) = 5.73 , p = .019 , indicating that the intervention group had significantly greater social support across time than did the control group . From baseline to postintervention , social support increased for the intervention group but decreased for the control group . Discussion : Reasons for the lack of significant differences between the groups on the PA measures were cited . Important information that could inform subsequent studies that test interventions to increase youth PA was acquired from conducting 
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BMI provides the most useful population -level measure of overweight and obesity as it is the same for both sexes and for all ages worldwide .
Measures of central obesity such as the waist : hip ratio and waist circumference can provide more robust indices of overall obesity-related health risk than BMI alone .
Overweight and obese children are likely to stay obese into adulthood and are more likely to develop non-communicable diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases at a younger age .
In addition to a higher risk of obesity and non-communicable diseases later in life , affected children experience adverse outcomes such as breathing difficulties , increased risk of fractures , hypertension , and early markers of cardiovascular disease , different forms of cancers , insulin resistance , and psychological effects .
Childhood obesity is associated with a higher chance of obesity , premature death , and disability in adulthood .
If a child is overweight before eight years of age , obesity in adulthood is likely to be more severe .
Child and adolescent obesity is also associated with increased risk of emotional problems .
Teens with weight problems tend to have much lower self-esteem and are less popular with their peers .
Depression , anxiety , and obsessive compulsive disorder can also occur as a result of childhood obesity .
Reducing the incidence of obesity in childhood can help children grow into adults with normal body weights and the tools necessary to sustain a health weight .
Haerens , et al. explains the importance of school-based programs in dealing with the serious problem of childhood obesity and overweight .
The school setting is known as having a powerful influence on student 's eating and physical activities .
Programs that may have a more positive impact are those that help increase physical activity and promote healthy foods in youth .
Previous studies looking at the implementation of diet and exercise programs in schools were effective in changing food habits and increasing physical activity ; however , few of these studies showed a reduction in body weight .
The Planet Health study , conducted over a period of two years , focused on healthy life style and showed a reduction in obesity in girls but not in boys .
The program was found to be a potential low cost method to positively impact public health and health behaviours .