Preschoolers who entered Head Start Federal school programs with an unhealthy weight status were observed to achieve healthier weights by the time they entered kindergarten when compared with children who did not enter these programs.
Overweight and obese children who entered these programs experienced a slowing of excessive weight gain while unweight children saw an increase in weight gain, the University of Michigan reported. Head Start is federally funded preschool program for low-income U.S. children
"The study findings suggest that participating in Head Start may be one effective strategy for obesity prevention and treatment," says lead author Julie Lumeng, M.D., of the University of Michigan's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. "Head Start programming is often at risk for cuts in funding. But at the same time, policymakers are looking for programs that can reach large numbers of American children to prevent obesity. We found that Head Start participation could help -- it is associated with robust, early and sustained beneficial changes in children's BMI."
To make their findings the researcher studied the weights and heights of 19,023 children in Head Start in Michigan and compared the data with that taken on children of the same age range who went to doctor's offices for check-ups.
The researchers believe there are several factors contributing to the effect of the program on children's BMIs such the federally regulated meal quality, more opportunities for physical activity, and structured daily routines. The programs could also help reduce stress at home, allowing families more financial and psychological resources to create a healthy environment.
"The individual parent or pediatrician might consider enrolling the overweight or obese child in Head Start as part of an obesity prevention or treatment plan. For policy makers looking for programs to support in order to achieve reduced prevalence of obesity and overweight in American preschoolers, Head Start may be one such program," Lumeng concluded.
The findings were published in a recent edition of the journal Pediatrics.
