Childhood obesity has reached epidemic levels in developed countries and is showing no signs of abating. The causes of obesity in adolescence are extremely complex, and therefore approaches to prevention and treatments must be multifaceted. Early adolescence is a developmental period when youth are becoming more independent, are influenced by peers, and are making more decisions related to their own health and lifestyles. The purpose of this article is to describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of a multilevel school-based intervention program for middle school students in the Teen Eating and Activity Mentoring in Schools (TEAMS) project. Critical components of success included an interdisciplinary approach, applying available curricula to meet contextual characteristics, and involvement of all stakeholders in planning, evaluating, and refining the program.
BanduraA. (1997). Self efficacy: The exercise of controlNew York, NY: W.H. Freeman Company.
2.
Berg-SmithS. M.StevensV. J.BrownK. M.Van HornL.GernhoferN.PetersE. … SmithK. (1999). A brief motivational intervention to improve dietary adherence in adolescents. Health Education Research, 14, 399–410.
3.
BindlerR.RichardsonB.DarathaK.WordellD. (2010). Interdisciplinary health science research collaboration: Strengths, challenges, and case example. Applied Nursing Research, in press.
4.
BronfenbrennerU. (2005). Making human beings human: Bioecological perspectives on human developmentThousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
5.
BronfenbrennerU. (1997). The ecology of human developmentCambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
ChriquiJ.SchneiderL.ChaloupkaF.IdeK.PugachO. (2009). Local wellness policies: Assessing school district strategies for improving children’s healthChicago, IL: Bridging the Gap, Health Policy Center, Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago.
8.
CooperInstitute. (2007). FitnessGram/ActivityGram ( 4th ed). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
9.
DeciE.RyanR. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self- determination in human behaviorNew York, NY: Plenum Press.
10.
Gonzalez-SuarezC.WorleyA.Grimmer-SomersK.DonesV. (2009). School-based interventions on childhood obesity: A meta-analysis. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 37, 418–427.
KaplanJ. P.LivermanC. T.KraakV. I. (eds.). (2005). Preventing childhood obesity: Health in the balanceWashington, DC: National Academies Press.
13.
KaplanJ. P.LivermanC. T.KraakV. I.WishamS. L. (eds.). (2007). Progress in preventing childhood obesity: How do we measure up?Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
14.
KatzD. L. (2009). School-based interventions for health promotion and weight control: Not just waiting on the world to change. Annual Review of Public Health, 30, 253–272.
15.
KatzD. L.O’ConnellM.NijkeV. Y.YenM.- C.NawazH. (2008). Strategies for the prevention and control of obesity in the school setting: Systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Obesity, 32, 1780–1789.
16.
KlesgesL. M.EstabrooksP. A.DzewaltowskiD. A.BullS. S.GlosgowR. E. (2005). Beginning with the application in mind: Designing and planning health behavior change interventions to enhance dissemination. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 29, 66–74.
17.
KlesgesL. M.DzewaltowskiD. A.GlasgowR. E. (2008). Review of external validity reporting in childhood obesity prevention research. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 34, 216–223.
18.
MillerW.RollnickS. (2002). Motivational interviewing: Preparing people for changeNew York, NY: Guilford Press.
19.
PowerT. G.BindlerR. C.GoetzS.DarathaK. (2010). Obesity prevention in early adolescence: Student, parent, and teacher views. Journal of School Health, 80, 13–19.
20.
ProchaskaJ. O.DiClementeC. C. (1983). Stages and processes of self-change in smoking: Toward an integrative model of change. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 51, 390–395.
21.
RyanR.DeciE. (2000). Self-determination theory and facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55, 67–68.
22.
ZenzenW.KridiS. (2009). Integrative review of school-based childhood obesity prevention programs. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 23, 242–258.
