Intervention effects on kindergarten and first-grade teachers' classroom food practices and food-related beliefs in American Indian reservation schools.

Prevalence of obesity among American Indian children is higher than the general US population. The school environment and teachers play important roles in helping students develop healthy eating habits. The aim of this prospective study was to examine teachers' classroom and school food practices and beliefs and the effect of teacher training on these practices and beliefs. Data were used from the Bright Start study, a group-randomized, school-based trial that took place on the Pine Ridge American Indian reservation (fall 2005 to spring 2008). Kindergarten and first-grade teachers (n=75) from 14 schools completed a survey at the beginning and end of the school year. Thirty-seven survey items were evaluated using mixed-model analysis of variance to examine the intervention effect for each teacher-practice and belief item (adjusting for teacher type and school as random effect). At baseline, some teachers reported classroom and school food practices and beliefs that supported health and some that did not. The intervention was significantly associated with lower classroom use of candy as a treat (P=0.0005) and fast-food rewards (P=0.008); more intervention teachers disagreed that fast food should be offered as school lunch alternatives (P=0.019), that it would be acceptable to sell unhealthy foods as part of school fundraising (P=0.006), and that it would not make sense to limit students' food choices in school (P=0.035). School-based interventions involving teacher training can result in positive changes in teachers' classroom food practices and beliefs about the influence of the school food environment in schools serving American Indian children on reservations.

Food responsiveness, parental food control and anthropometric outcomes among young American Indian children: cross-sectional and prospective findings.

OBJECTIVE: Assess cross-sectional and prospective associations between food responsiveness and parental food control and anthropometric outcomes among American Indian children. DESIGN: Parents/caregivers completed psychosocial surveys and trained staff measured children's anthropometry at baseline (kindergarten) and at follow-up (1st grade) as part of a school-based obesity prevention trial (Bright Start). SETTING: On/near the Pine Ridge Indian reservation. PARTICIPANTS: 422 child (51% female, mean age=5.8 years, 30% overweight/obese) and parent/caregiver (89% mothers) dyads. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Two independent variables (child's Food Responsiveness and Parental Control scales) and six child anthropometric dependent variables (overweight status, body mass index z-score, % body fat, waist circumference, triceps skinfold, subscapular skinfold). Linear regression analyses, stratified by sex and adjusted for age and treatment condition. RESULTS: Baseline Food Responsiveness scale scores were positively associated with all six baseline anthropometric outcomes among boys (P's all <.01), but not girls. Parental Control scale scores were not significantly associated with outcomes and no prospective associations were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Responsiveness to food may be associated with excess adiposity in young American Indian boys, however, the effects are not detectable over time. Obesity prevention programs for American Indian children may benefit by addressing eating without hunger among boys.

Associations of home food availability, dietary intake, screen time and physical activity with BMI in young American-Indian children.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate associations between home environmental factors and BMI of young American-Indian children. DESIGN: Cross-sectional and prospective study. SETTING: School-based obesity prevention trial (Bright Start) on a Northern Plains Indian reservation in South Dakota. Mixed model multivariable analysis was used to examine associations between child BMI categories (normal, overweight and obese) and home food availability, children's dietary intake and physical activity. Analyses were adjusted for age, gender, socio-economic status, parent BMI and school; prospective analyses also adjusted for study condition and baseline predictor and outcome variables. SUBJECTS: Kindergarten children (n = 424, 51 % male; mean age = 5.8 years, 30 % overweight/obese) and parents/caregivers (89 % female; 86 % overweight/obese) had their height and weight measured and parents/caregivers completed surveys on home environmental factors (baseline and 2 years later). RESULTS: Higher fast-food intake and parent-perceived barriers to physical activity were marginally associated with higher probabilities of a child being overweight and obese. Vegetable availability was marginally associated with lower probabilities of being overweight and obese. The associations between home environmental factors and child weight status at follow-up were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that selected aspects of the home environment are associated with weight status of American-Indian children. Obesity interventions with this population should consider helping parents to engage and model healthful behaviours and to increase availability of healthful foods at home.

High food insecurity and its correlates among families living on a rural American Indian Reservation.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to better understand the prevalence and consequences of food insecurity among American Indian families with young children. METHODS: Parents or caregivers of kindergarten-age children enrolled in the Bright Start study (dyad n=432) living on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota completed a questionnaire on their child's dietary intake, the home food environment, and food security. We assessed food security with a standard 6-item scale and examined associations of food insecurity with family sociodemographic characteristics, parents' and children's weight, children's dietary patterns, and the home food environment. RESULTS: Almost 40% of families reported experiencing food insecurity. Children from food-insecure households were more likely to eat some less healthful types of foods, including items purchased at convenience stores (P= .002), and food-insecure parents reported experiencing many barriers to accessing healthful food. Food security status was not associated with differences in home food availability or children's or parents' weight status. CONCLUSIONS: Food insecurity is prevalent among families living on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Increasing reservation access to food that is high quality, reasonably priced, and healthful should be a public health goal.

Bright Start: Description and main outcomes from a group-randomized obesity prevention trial in American Indian children.

The aim of the Bright Start study was to develop and test the effectiveness of a school environment intervention, supplemented with family involvement, to reduce excessive weight gain by increasing physical activity and healthy eating practices among kindergarten and first-grade American Indian children. Bright Start was a group-randomized, school-based trial involving 454 children attending 14 schools on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Children were followed from the beginning of their kindergarten year through the end of first grade. Main outcome variables were mean BMI, mean percent body fat, and prevalence of overweight/obese children. The goals of the intervention were to: increase physical activity at school to at least 60 min/day; modify school meals and snacks; and involve families in making behavioral and environmental changes at home. At baseline, 32% of boys and 25% of girls were overweight/obese. Although the intervention was not associated with statistically significant change in mean levels of BMI, BMI-Z, skinfolds or percentage body fat, the intervention was associated with a statistically significant net decrease of 10% in the prevalence of overweight. Intervention children experienced a 13.4% incidence of overweight, whereas the control children experienced a corresponding incidence of 24.8%; a difference of -11.4% (P = 0.033). The intervention significantly reduced parent-reported mean child intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages, whole milk, and chocolate milk. Changes in duration of school physical activity were not significant. Because obesity is the most daunting health challenge facing American Indian children today, more intervention research is needed to identify effective approaches.

Summer effects on body mass index (BMI) gain and growth patterns of American Indian children from kindergarten to first grade: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity are highly prevalent among American Indian children, especially those living on reservations. There is little scientific evidence about the effects of summer vacation on obesity development in children. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of summer vacation between kindergarten and first grade on growth in height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) for a sample of American Indian children. METHODS: Children had their height and weight measured in four rounds of data collection (yielded three intervals: kindergarten, summer vacation, and first grade) as part of a school-based obesity prevention trial (Bright Start) in a Northern Plains Indian Reservation. Demographic variables were collected at baseline from parent surveys. Growth velocities (Z-score units/year) for BMI, weight, and height were estimated and compared for each interval using generalized linear mixed models. RESULTS: The children were taller and heavier than median of same age counterparts. Height Z-scores were positively associated with increasing weight status category. The mean weight velocity during summer was significantly less than during the school year. More rapid growth velocity in height during summer than during school year was observed. Obese children gained less adjusted-BMI in the first grade after gaining more than their counterparts during the previous two intervals. No statistically significant interval effects were found for height and BMI velocities. CONCLUSIONS: There was no indication of a significant summer effect on children's BMI. Rather than seasonal or school-related patterns, the predominant pattern indicated by weight-Z and BMI-Z velocities might be related to age or maturation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Bright Start: Obesity Prevention in American Indian Children Clinical Trial Govt ID# NCT00123032.

Obesity in American-Indian children: prevalence, consequences, and prevention.

BACKGROUND: American Indians of all ages and both sexes have a high prevalence of obesity. The health risks associated with obesity are numerous and include Type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and respiratory problems. Obesity has become a major health problem in American Indians only in the past few generations and it is believed to be associated with the relative abundance of high-fat, high-calorie foods and the rapid change from active to sedentary lifestyles. METHODS: The authors reviewed selected literature on prevalence of obesity in American-Indian children, and health consequences of obesity. RESULTS: Obesity is now one of the most serious public health problems facing American-Indian children, and it has grave implications for the immediate and long-term health of American-Indian youth. Unless this pattern is reversed, American-Indian populations will be burdened by an increased incidence of chronic diseases. Intervention studies are urgently needed in American-Indian communities to develop and test effective strategies for obesity prevention and treatment. CONCLUSIONS: To be effective, educational and environmental interventions must be developed with full participation of the American-Indian communities.

Pathways curriculum and family interventions to promote healthful eating and physical activity in American Indian schoolchildren.

BACKGROUND: Pathways, a multisite school-based study aimed at promoting healthful eating and increasing physical activity, was a randomized field trial including 1704 American Indian third to fifth grade students from 41 schools (21 intervention, 20 controls) in seven American Indian communities. METHODS: The intervention schools received four integrated components: a classroom curriculum, food service, physical activity, and family modules. The curriculum and family components were based on Social Learning Theory, American Indian concepts, and results from formative research. Process evaluation data were collected from teachers (n=235), students (n=585), and families. Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior Questionnaire data were collected from 1150 students including both intervention and controls. RESULTS: There were significant increases in knowledge and cultural identity in children in intervention compared to control schools with a significant retention of knowledge over the 3 years, based on the results of repeating the third and fourth grade test items in the fifth grade. Family members participated in Family Events and take-home activities, with fewer participating each year. CONCLUSION: A culturally appropriate school intervention can promote positive changes in knowledge, cultural identity, and self-reported healthful eating and physical activity in American Indian children and environmental change in school food service.

Pathways: lessons learned and future directions for school-based interventions among American Indians.

BACKGROUND: Pathways, a multicenter study to test the effect of a school-based program to prevent obesity in American Indian children, yielded many benefits and encountered many challenges. This paper explores what we have learned from this study and examines possible future directions. METHODS: Information presented in this paper is based on formative research, study results, and discussions with staff and investigators. RESULTS: Some of the lessons learned relate to having a strong relationship with the tribes, how best to engage the communities, the importance of formative research and achieving standardization in culturally diverse settings, how to incorporate cultural information into curricula, and the importance of family involvement. One of the strengths of the study was the collaborative process that teamed American Indian and non-American Indian investigators and staff. Researchers recognized that they must work in cooperation with research participants including their schools and communities to address challenges, to ensure accurate findings and analyses, and to share benefits. CONCLUSIONS: The lessons learned from Pathways offer valuable insights for researchers into successful approaches to the challenges inherent in research in American Indian communities, particularly in schools, and how to maximize the benefits of such a study.

Pathways: a school-based, randomized controlled trial for the prevention of obesity in American Indian schoolchildren.

BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity is a major public health problem in the United States, particularly among American Indian communities. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based, multicomponent intervention for reducing percentage body fat in American Indian schoolchildren. DESIGN: This study was a randomized, controlled, school-based trial involving 1704 children in 41 schools and was conducted over 3 consecutive years, from 3rd to 5th grades, in schools serving American Indian communities in Arizona, New Mexico, and South Dakota. The intervention had 4 components: 1) change in dietary intake, 2) increase in physical activity, 3) a classroom curriculum focused on healthy eating and lifestyle, and 4) a family-involvement program. The main outcome was percentage body fat; other outcomes included dietary intake, physical activity, and knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. RESULTS: The intervention resulted in no significant reduction in percentage body fat. However, a significant reduction in the percentage of energy from fat was observed in the intervention schools. Total energy intake (by 24-h dietary recall) was significantly reduced in the intervention schools but energy intake (by direct observation) was not. Motion sensor data showed similar activity levels in both the intervention and control schools. Several components of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors were also positively and significantly changed by the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: These results document the feasibility of implementing a multicomponent program for obesity prevention in elementary schools serving American Indian communities. The program produced significant positive changes in fat intake and in food- and health-related knowledge and behaviors. More intense or longer interventions may be needed to significantly reduce adiposity in this population.