Reducing obesity in early childhood - results of Romp & Chomp

The community wide early childhood intervention program, Romp & Chomp, has shown that the promotion of healthy eating and active play reduces childhood overweight and obesity and improves children's diets (1).

 The Romp & Chomp intervention was undertaken between 2004-2008 in the local Victorian Government areas of Geelong and Queenscliff. It targeted approximately 12,000 children aged 0-5 years attending Long Day Centres, Family Day Centres, preschools, Maternal and Child Health services, Immunization clinics and community health services. A wide range of  community and health serves were involved each working together to promote healthy eating and active play for  achieving a healthy weight. The key messages of the intervention were:- 1. daily active play 2. daily water and fewer sweet drinks 3. daily fruit and vegetables and 4. less screen time (TV or DVD).

Children in the intervention were compared to a similar sample recruited from other local government areas in Victoria. All children were checked for weight and height and parents completed a survey about their child's diet and activity patterns.

At the end of the study,  there was a  three fold decrease in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the 2 year olds and a 5 fold decrease in 3.5 year olds in the intervention group compared to the comparison sample. The children's diets also improved. Less sugar sweetened beverages (soft drinks/cordials), less fruit juices, less high energy snacks and more water, more fruit and more vegetables were consumed than before the intervention. These changes can have both a short and  long term positive impact on children's general and oral  health.

Reference.

1. de Silva-Sanigorski AM, Bell AC et al. Reducing obesity in early childhood: results from Rom & Chomp, an Australian community -wide intervention program. Am J Clin Nutr 2010;91:831-40