Afterschool Soccer Fitness and Nutrition Program in Four Cities Improves BMI Percentile, Waist Circumference, and Fitness Levels in Participants Compared to Nonparticipants

While childhood obesity has begun to plateau, some subgroups continue to experience increases - particularly low-income minority children. Hypothesis: More children in the intervention would improve their 1) body mass index (BMI) percentile; 2) waist circumference (WC); and 3) fitness (PACER laps). Soccer for Success (SfS) (90 minutes per day, 3 days a week, 24 weeks), aims to combat childhood obesity and foster youth development in economically disadvantaged communities. Employing a quasi-experimental design, data were collected early Fall 2013 and late Spring 2014 in 12 randomly-assigned intervention and 12 control sites in Buffalo, NY (4 intervention [I], 4 control [C]); Detroit, MI (4 I, 4 C); Los Angeles, CA (1 I, 1 C); and Seattle, WA (3 I, 3 C). The sample included 999 diverse low-income children grades K-5 (564 I/435 C; black=44.5%; Hispanic=44.3%; 7% other; 4.2% white; 54.9% males). There was no difference between groups at baseline. More children in the intervention improved BMI percentile, WC, and laps. The mean BMI percentile among intervention children decreased by 2.7 more than control children (Repeated measures ANOVA, p=.002). Mean WC among intervention children decreased (0.25 in), whereas the WC of controls increased (0.32 in); Repeated measures ANOVA, p=.001. PACER Laps completed by SfS children increased dramatically (3.4 laps); laps of control decreased (0.3 laps; Repeated measures ANOVA, p < .001). In conclusion, the success of SfS calls for expansion of efficacious, coordinated afterschool efforts that include physical activity/exercise, nutrition education, and healthy snacks to combat childhood obesity.