Spring Training: Obesity prevention intervention for adolescent males

Adolescent boys' obesity rate is increasing at a greater rate than other segments of the population. Nevertheless, few prevention programs have been developed specifically to meet the concerns and educational needs of teen boys.

Method: Adolescent boys generally have short attention spans, are more visual, read less, and are more likely to respond to highly interactive educational activities with a competitive aspect. We developed lesson plans taking these factors into consideration, as well as the results of our focus groups that indicated the teens being concern about reaching their full growth potential, increasing muscle development, increasing athletic abilities, skin problems and being overweight. The program includes food demos, physical activity, fun interactive educational activities and the development of individual action plans. These activities are designed to help adolescent boys begin the process of changing eating habits and becoming more active. Participants learn how small changes, like drinking water instead of soft drink or sport drinks can make a significant difference. Life-size paper teen models of different heights and weights are used to demonstrate the relationship between nutrition and their growth potential.

Results: Participants indicated recognizing the impact and the relationship of diet to their growth and development; they reported making better dietary choices at four-week follow-up. Physical appearance and their strong desire to grow to their full potential was the number one factor influencing their decision to make healthier choices.

Conclusion: Tailoring program to meet adolescent needs and concern generated the interest and motivation needed to encourage healthy behavior change.