Long term changes in food consumption trends in overweight children enrolled in the hikcups intervention

BACKGROUND: Caloric intake is a major contributor to energy imbalance and is a key modifiable factor for successful treatment of obesity. Long term changes in dietary intake from paediatric obesity treatment programs are rarely reported.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to describe the changes in food intake of children from all intervention groups from baseline to two year follow-up after a six month obesity intervention.

METHODS: Overweight children (n = 160, 5-9 years), 58% female and BMI z-score (mean ± SD) 2.89 ± 0.79 were recruited to the Hunter Illawarra Kids Challenge using Parent Support (HIKCUPS) randomised controlled trial. Dietary intake was reported by parents for children at baseline and 2-year follow-up (n = 87) by food frequency questionnaire. Linear mixed models were used to determine differences by time.

RESULTS: Parents reported decreases in total energy (total kcal, kcal/kg), child percentage of total energy from energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods (sweetened drinks, potato crisps, sweets and carry-out foods) from 42 ± 1.0% at baseline to 34.8 ± 1.0% at 2 years (P < 0.001); with an increase in percent energy from nutrient dense foods (fruits, vegetables, dairy, breads and cereals) from 57 ± 0.9% at baseline to 65 ± 1.0% at 2 years (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: This one of only few studies that reports dietary data of overweight children who participated in a treatment program with long term follow up. It provides evidence that improvements in the food intakes can be sustained up to 2-years though decreased consumption of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods, particularly sweetened drinks and increased consumption of core foods following an intervention