The University of Wollongong and the University of Newcastle are jointly working on the trial known as HIKCUPS (Hunter and Illawarra Kids Challenge Using Parental Support) which has National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) funding. Newcastle will be conducting a similar trial throughout the Hunter region.

The trial is a follow-up to a pilot physical activity program tested in 2003 known as SHARK (Skills Honing and Active Recreation for Kids).

The children, aged six to nine, will be randomly placed in one of three programs “ (1) a physical activity program; (2) a dietary modification program (involving parents and run by a dietician from Wollongong Hospital); and (3) a program which combines physical activity and dietary modification.

Dr Tony Okely, A Senior Lecturer in Physical and Health Education and Director of the Child Obesity Research Centre at the University of Wollongong, said it was hoped to determine how better it might be for children to be on the combined program rather than just a physical activity or dietary modification program.

He said the 100 children being sought would be split into three cohorts with cohort 1 starting in term 2 of the school year, cohort 2 in term 3 and cohort 3 in term 4.

Children will need to visit the University one afternoon a week from 3.30pm to 5.30pm for whatever school term in which they may be involved.

Dr Okely said among the benefits for participating children will be a free blood profile revealing any cholesterol or insulin problems and at the same time they will receive expert advice on good eating habits and learn various fun physical activity skills that will put them on the path to lifelong physical activity and diet patterns.

Obesity in childhood can cause immediate and long-term medical and psychosocial complications such as low self-esteem, high cholesterol levels and glucose intolerance, Dr Okely said.

uow.au

Obesity has been closely linked with type 2 diabetes. In a 2000 study, 80 to 90 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight. Obesity may also worsen problems associated with diabetes, including high blood sugar, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, say Norris and colleagues.

Norris says people with diabetes who are also overweight may have a harder time losing weight than non-diabetics.

Insulin therapy itself might cause weight gain, Norris says. Keeping track of a complex series of treatments for diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure all complicate behavioral change aimed at weight reduction.

Recommendations by the American Diabetes Association in 2002 say that weight loss drugs may be useful in treating obesity among type 2 diabetes patients, but also note that these drugs work best in conjunction with lifestyle strategies such as low fat diets and increased exercise.

Norris and colleagues say more research is needed to find out whether weight loss drugs work better when combined with diet and exercise changes.

In general populations, drugs have been combined with various lifestyle interventions, but most [drug] trials include relatively weak lifestyle programs, perhaps in part to better reveal the medication effects, Norris says.

cochrane