A primary-school-based study to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity--the EdAl (Educació en Alimentació) study: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Obesity is one of the main determinants of avoidable disease burden.To implement a program by university students acting as "health promoting agents" (HPAs) and to evaluate the effects on obesity prevalence of the primary-school-based program that promotes healthy lifestyle, including dietary and physical activity recommendations over 28 months.

Methods: Two school clusters were randomly assigned to intervention (24 schools, 1,222 pupils) or control (14 schools, 717 pupils); 78% of pupils were Western European.

A primary-school-based study to reduce prevalence of childhood obesity in Catalunya (Spain)--EDAL-Educació en alimentació: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Background: The EdAL (Educació en Alimentació) study is a long-term, nutrition educational, primary-school-based program designed to prevent obesity by promoting a healthy lifestyle that includes dietary recommendations and physical activity.The aims are: 1) to evaluate the effects of a 3-year school-based life-style improvement program on the prevalence of obesity in an area of north-west Mediterranean 2) To design a health-promotion program to be implemented by health-promoter agents (university students) in primary schools.

Methods/design: 1) The intervention study is a randomised, controlled, school-based program performed by university-student health-promoter agents.