Motivating teachers by „Socratic dialogue“ prevents BMI increase in children with precocious adiposity rebound

Aim: To elaborate and evaluate a low cost–high efficacy, school based prevention programme of obesity in children aged 5 to 6 years, focusing on precocious adiposity rebound. Methods: BMI was assessed in 870 children at the beginning (T1) and the end (T2) of the school year (9 months later). Prevention programme consisted in meetings called “round table“, organised in schools for teachers and for parents separately. Using a short slide show, simple messages were given by “Socratic dialogue“, focusing on nutritional needs and environmental factors. Schools were randomised in two intervention groups: A (n=453): round tables for teachers and for parents, and B (n=312): round tables only for teachers, and one control group, C (n=105). Variance in mean z-score was analysed between T1 and T2 (z-scoreT2– z-scoreT1) in overweight and normal children. Results: In children overweight at T1 of the intervention schools, mean Z-score decreased by -0.34 SD in A school and by -0.44 SD in B schools, while in the control group C it increased by +0.72 SD (p<0.001). In normal weight children no significant variance of the mean z–score was observed, neither in intervention, nor in control schools. Discussion: Age 5 to 6, preceding adiposity rebound, seems particularly sensitive to obesity prevention. School based prevention of obesity involving teachers actively, shows good short term efficacy. Further 3 years follow up will study long term efficacy.