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Longitudinal Impact of a Park-Based Afterschool Healthy Weight Program on Modifiable Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Youth.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Messiah, SE; D'Agostino, EM; Hansen, E; Mathew, MS; Okeke, D; Nardi, M; Kardys, J; Arheart, KL
Published in: J Community Health
February 2018

Community-based programs hold significant potential to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in youth. We describe here the longitudinal change in several modifiable CVD risk factors after participation in up to 3 years of Fit2Play™, a park-based afterschool program. Children ages 6-15 years old (N = 2261, mean age 9.0 years, 50% Hispanic, 47% non-Hispanic black, 54% male) who participated in Fit2Play™ for either 1-3 school years between 2010 and 2016 had height, weight, 4-site skinfold thicknesses, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, the progressive aerobic cardiovascular endurance run test, and health/wellness knowledge and behavior scores collected at the beginning and end of the school year(s). Effects of length of Fit2Play™ participation on CVD outcomes were assessed via 2-level repeated measures analysis adjusted for child sociodemographics, park, area poverty, and year. Adjusted models showed overweight/obese children who participated in up to 3 years of Fit2Play™ had a mean reduction of 8 mm in skinfold thicknesses; almost 0.5 SD's in BMI z-score; 5 DBP %ile points; 17% reduction in probability of developing hypertension; and a mean increase of 6.4 PACER laps and 17% increase in health/wellness assessment compared to baseline. A dose-response trend was found for years of Fit2Play™ participation and improved CVD risk profile in participating youth. In conclusion, park-based afterschool programs that promote preventive CVD risk strategies can be an equitable, low-cost, high value tool for addressing our national epidemics of obesity, heart disease and diabetes and a rapidly changing healthcare system in need of evidence-based prevention programs.

Duke Scholars

Published In

J Community Health

DOI

EISSN

1573-3610

Publication Date

February 2018

Volume

43

Issue

1

Start / End Page

103 / 116

Location

Netherlands

Related Subject Headings

  • Risk Factors
  • Public Health
  • Prospective Studies
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Health Promotion
  • Female
  • Child
  • Cardiovascular Diseases
  • Body Weight
 

Citation

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Chicago
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Messiah, S. E., D’Agostino, E. M., Hansen, E., Mathew, M. S., Okeke, D., Nardi, M., … Arheart, K. L. (2018). Longitudinal Impact of a Park-Based Afterschool Healthy Weight Program on Modifiable Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Youth. J Community Health, 43(1), 103–116. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-017-0393-9
Messiah, Sarah E., Emily M. D’Agostino, Eric Hansen, M Sunil Mathew, Deidre Okeke, Maria Nardi, Jack Kardys, and Kristopher L. Arheart. “Longitudinal Impact of a Park-Based Afterschool Healthy Weight Program on Modifiable Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Youth.J Community Health 43, no. 1 (February 2018): 103–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-017-0393-9.
Messiah SE, D’Agostino EM, Hansen E, Mathew MS, Okeke D, Nardi M, et al. Longitudinal Impact of a Park-Based Afterschool Healthy Weight Program on Modifiable Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Youth. J Community Health. 2018 Feb;43(1):103–16.
Messiah, Sarah E., et al. “Longitudinal Impact of a Park-Based Afterschool Healthy Weight Program on Modifiable Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Youth.J Community Health, vol. 43, no. 1, Feb. 2018, pp. 103–16. Pubmed, doi:10.1007/s10900-017-0393-9.
Messiah SE, D’Agostino EM, Hansen E, Mathew MS, Okeke D, Nardi M, Kardys J, Arheart KL. Longitudinal Impact of a Park-Based Afterschool Healthy Weight Program on Modifiable Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Youth. J Community Health. 2018 Feb;43(1):103–116.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Community Health

DOI

EISSN

1573-3610

Publication Date

February 2018

Volume

43

Issue

1

Start / End Page

103 / 116

Location

Netherlands

Related Subject Headings

  • Risk Factors
  • Public Health
  • Prospective Studies
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Health Promotion
  • Female
  • Child
  • Cardiovascular Diseases
  • Body Weight