A school based intervention to reduce television use decreased adiposity in children in grades 3 and 4
QUESTION: Can a school based intervention aimed at reducing television and videotape viewing and use of video games decrease adiposity in children in grades 3 and 4 (approximate age 9 y)?
Design
7 month, randomised (allocation concealed*), blinded (outcome assessors and statisticians*), controlled trial.
Setting
2 public elementary schools in a single school district in San Jose, California, USA.
Participants
198 of 227 eligible children in grades 3 and 4 had parental consent to participate. 192 children (97%) (mean age 9 y) completed both the baseline and post-intervention assessments.
Intervention
The 2 schools were matched on sociodemographic and scholastic variables. One school (106 eligible children) was allocated to implement an intervention to reduce television use by limiting access to television sets, budgeting watching or playing time, and more selective …
