Background:
To report protocol of a pragmatic lifestyle intervention aiming to primary prevention of childhood obesity.
Methods:
A non-randomized controlled pragmatic trial in maternity and child health care clinics. The control group was recruited among families who visited the same clinics one year earlier. Eligibility criteria was mother at risk for gestational diabetes: body mass index [greater than or equal to] 25 kg/m2, macrosomic newborn in any previous pregnancy, immediate family history of diabetes and/or age [greater than or equal to] 40 years. All maternity clinics in town involved in recruitment. The gestational intervention consisted of individual counselling on diet and physical activity by a public health nurse, and of two group counselling sessions. Intervention continues until offspring’s age of five years. An option to participate a group counselling at child’s age 1 to 2 years was offered. The intervention includes advice on healthy diet, physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleeping pattern. The main outcome measure is offspring BMI z-score and its changes at the age of six years.
Conclusion:
Early childhood is a critical time period for prevention of obesity. Pragmatic trials targeting this period are necessary in order to find effective obesity prevention programs feasible in normal health care practice.