Objective: To assess the impact of a nutritional intervention aimed at reducing childhood overweight in German preschoolers.~Design: Using a cluster-randomized study design with waiting-list controls, we test a six-month intervention administered once weekly by a nutritional expert consisting of joint meal preparation and activities for children and parents like tasting and preparing nutritious, fresh foods. At baseline, six and twelve months, a parent-completed questionnaire assesses fruit and vegetable intake (primary outcomes) and water and sugared drink consumption (other outcomes). Direct measurement assessed BMI, percentage body fat (skin fold thicknesses) and waist-to-height-ratio. An intention-to-treat analysis used random effects panel regression models to assess the intervention effect, adjusted for each child's age, gender, immigrant background and maternal education.~Setting: 18 Preschools from three south German regions. Subjects: Healthy children from three to seven years of age.
This study assesses the impact of a nutritional intervention aimed at reducing childhood overweight in German preschoolers.