Abstract
The Children's Health and Activity Modification Program (C.H.A.M.P.) was a 4-week family-based lifestyle intervention for obese children. The program, delivered during August 2008 and 2009, sought to improve physical activity (PA) levels, dietary behaviours, and several physiological and psychological outcomes. This study examined the impact of C.H.A.M.P. on the PA levels of 41 obese children (53% female; Mage = 10.5 years; BMI = 95th percentile for age and sex) who completed the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C; Crocker et al., 1997) at baseline, 1-week post-intervention, and 3-, 6-, and 12-months post-intervention. A repeated-measures ANOVA revealed that overall PAQ-C scores differed between time-points (p = .01, ?2 = .28). Post hoc analysis revealed a decrease in PA from 3- to 6-months post-intervention (p = .03). In addition, separate repeated-measures ANOVAs revealed time differences for activities performed outside of school (p = .03, ?2= .24) and at school (p < .01, ?2 = .37). Post hoc analyses indicated that school activities increased from baseline to 3-months post-intervention, and both types of activities increased from 1-week to 3-months post-intervention then decreased from 3- to 6-months and from 3- to 12-months post-intervention (all p < .05). In conclusion, C.H.A.M.P. led to increased PA among obese children until 3 months post-intervention, and may have prevented further decreases in PA over the course of 12 months.Acknowledgments: This work was supported by The Lawson Foundation [GRT 2008-016].