Fighting obesity and overweight from an early age
On the National Day of Fight against Obesity (18 May), we present the pilot study "GicO - Gymnastics against Obesity", part of a research project led by the University of Coimbra to combat and prevent overweight and obesity.
Thirty-four children aged 6-7 from the gymnastics section of the Coimbra Academic Association are taking part in the pilot study GicO - Gymnastics against Obesity. The aim of the study is to develop an integrated programme for the prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity in children and their families.
GicO is part of the research project 'PAS GRAS: De-risking metabolic, environmental and behavioural determinants of obesity in children, adolescents and young adults', funded by the European Commission with around €9.5 million. The project was launched earlier this year.
In the first phase, participants undergo a series of assessments, including physical, functional and body composition tests. This is followed by "literacy and physical activities, among others", depending on the interaction between the researchers and the children, explains Paulo Oliveira, coordinator of PAS GRAS. "It is the gymnasts who are helping us set up this pilot study, which will later be extended to other young populations," adds the researcher from the UC Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC-UC).
Food is also addressed in the pilot study. One of the GicO coordinators, Anabela Marisa Azul, says that the drawings and games show that the children "have a lot of knowledge about different foods". The CNC-UC researcher adds that it's clear "that the children participate in the family's daily activities, especially in the kitchen".
These tests will be repeated three times over the course of a year and a half. The aim is to check the effectiveness of the activity programme developed.
GicO involves an interdisciplinary research team: around 30 researchers from the fields of sport, biomedicine, ecology, medicine, anthropology, nutrition, health geography, communication, illustration, design and multimedia.