ACTYBOSS: Activity, Behavioral Therapy in Young Subjects – After-School Intervention Pilot Project on Obesity Prevention

Abstract

AIMS: To test the feasibility of a school-based intervention, which combines an incentive-driven physical activity program with lifestyle lectures, and its potential beneficial outcome on children's metabolic parameters. METHODS: We conducted a 6-month pilot intervention in two high schools in Mallorca, Spain, consisting of a program which involved free supervised exercise sessions and nutritional lectures, where children received credit points as a reward for the hours spent exercising and attendance to the lectures. The credit-earned points obtained were exchanged for gifts. We developed personalized cards and a web application for the participants to check the gifts they were eligible for (www.actyboss.com). Percentage body fat, percentage of fat-free mass and BMI were measured. Secondary measures included fitness parameters, blood pressure and blood lipids levels. 90 children signed up the consent form and 56 completed the program until the endpoint. RESULTS: We found a beneficial effect on body composition, fitness parameters, and systolic blood pressure in children who participated in ACTYBOSS compared to children who did not start the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: We describe the incentive-driven, after-school intervention pilot program to promote physical activity and a healthy lifestyle. The program had a positive effect on anthropometric measurements. A larger incentive-driven healthy lifestyle program is now ongoing.