America On the Move(R) Family Study Provides Tangible Evidence That Small Changes Can Help Prevent Excessive Weight Gain in Children

The results of a new study, published in the October issue of Pediatrics(R), the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, provides the first clinical evidence that overweight children can effectively prevent excessive weight gain by making small changes to their daily lifestyle. While it has long been suggested that physical inactivity and diets high in calories from sugar and fat contribute to increased childhood obesity, this study proves that simple alterations to these factors can help counter America's obesity crisis.

This family-based study showed that, over six months, 67 percent of overweight children, as defined by body mass index (BMI), maintained or reduced their percent BMI-for-age, compared to just 53% in the self-monitoring group. BMI is the most widely accepted method of classifying overweight and obesity. These results were directly linked to participation in a fun, family-based program encouraging all family members to make two, small, healthy lifestyle changes:

  --  Increased physical activity by 2,000 steps per day (approximately one
      mile)
  --  Elimination of 100 calories from the diet with an emphasis on
      replacing dietary sugars with SPLENDA(R) Brand Sweetener.

"The more childhood obesity is researched, the clearer it becomes that weight control is a family responsibility, rather than a personal issue," said Dr. James O. Hill, America On the Move Foundation(TM) (AOM) co-founder, and professor of pediatrics and medicine at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center. "Healthy eating and active living is taught through parents, so it was critical that we focused our study on supporting small changes in nutrition and physical activity for the whole family."

About the Study

The study was funded through a grant by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and support from McNeil Nutritionals, LLC. In the study, investigators randomized 216 families with at least one overweight child to either a lifestyle intervention group or a control group. Families in the intervention group were asked to eliminate 100 calories a day from their diet, in part by replacing sugar with SPLENDA(R) No Calorie Sweetener or consuming beverages made with sucralose, the sweetening ingredient in SPLENDA(R) Brand Sweetener, and by increasing physical activity by 2,000 steps daily. Families in the control group were asked to monitor their diet and exercise levels. Food journals and pedometers were utilized to measure progress. After six months, significantly more overweight children in the intervention group maintained or reduced their percent BMI-for-age, compared to the self-monitoring group.

About America On the Move Foundation

America On the Move Foundation(TM) (AOM) is a national nonprofit helping individuals, families and communities across our nation make positive changes to improve the health and quality of life. With more than a million participants on and offline, America On the Move(R) initiates and maintains individual, social, and environmental behavior changes that support healthy eating and active living habits in our society. AOM's science-based programs provide the support and tools that help individuals of all ages manage weight effectively through energy balance. For more information, please visit: http://www.americaonthemove.org/.

Source: America On the Move Foundation