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| |  ECO: Weight Loss Camp Works in the Short Term By Mark Pownall HELSINKI, FINLAND -- June 3, 2003 -- Residential weight loss programmes are effective in helping overweight children shed pounds, at least in the short term, according to a new study presented here May 30th at the 12th European Congress of Obesity. The study, one of the first to be carried out on the effectiveness of residential programmes for children outside the United States, found that 186 obese children attending the camp lost an average 6 kg, decreasing from a mean 89.9 kg to 83.9 kg over a 6-week period, a statistically significant difference (P<0.001). The children, aged 12 to 15 years, had an average body mass index (BMI) of 33 kg/m2 when they began the residential programme in the years 1999-2002. The weight loss programme involved six 1-hour, skill based, physical activity sessions a day with four weekly educational sessions. The study was carried out by Drs. Paul Gately and Carlton Cooke with colleagues from the School of Leisure and Sports Studies at Leeds Metropolitan University, in Leeds, United Kingdom, funded by the National Heart Research Fund (UK). The results show a reduction in fat from a mean of 47% to 44%, a statistically significant difference (P<0.001). There were also significant improvements in aerobic fitness, and in the children's self esteem as measured by a Global Self-Worth Scale. A comparison group of 26 overweight children aged 11 to 14 years with an average BMI of 28 who did not attend a weight loss camp increased their average weight by 2.7 kg over the same 6-week period. A second comparison group of 66 normal weight children were also found to have increased their weight over the 6-week period. Dr. Gately said, "The residential programme worked, and there were significant improvements in indicators of children's health." "The positive changes in children attending the camp and the negative changes associated with the free-living comparison groups provide good evidence that the camp programme engaged the children in more physical activity and healthy eating opportunities," he added. Like other such camps, the Leeds programme combined moderate restrictions in energy intake with physical activity and behaviour management, Dr. Gately said. What was different about this programme compared to others, the researchers say, is a "fun-based and skill-learning approach to physical activity and sport". Dr. Gately said the approach was meant to provide an alternative to the traditional prescribed, structured physical activity programme. "At least in the short term, children's residential programmes are one form of effective treatment in a range needed to deal with the growing global epidemic of obesity," he said. The Leeds team is critical of what they refer to as "inappropriate", "military-style" residential camps for children, which they say have an expectation of frequency, intensity and duration of physical activity which the children cannot meet. Dr. Gately said such programmes "may not engage children or give them the idea that sport, exercise or physical activity is in any way enjoyable." A second study by the same group of researchers found "encouraging results" in raising the children's ability to serve in badminton, shoot a basketball, dribble a soccer ball, play volleyball, take a hockey shot and throw a tennis ball, they said. "We hope these positive changes will contribute to these children's ability to participate in sport and physical activity after the camp programme ends," the researchers stated.
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