2006 Annual Report 1.What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it (summarize project aims and objectives)? How serious is the problem? Why does it matter? Obesity disproportionately affects citizens of minority and low socioeconomic status. Many of these citizens are located in rural regions of the United States. A consensus of opinion has formed that the recently observed increased prevalence of obesity is caused by environmental factors that favor easy access to high calorie foods and sedentary behavior. This research project, called LA Health, will test whether modification of these environmental factors can prevent inappropriate weight gain in children. A majority of these children will come from minority populations and economically disadvantaged families and all of the participants will be located in rural communities in Louisiana. Specifically, LA Health will test the efficacy of two school-based prevention programs (combination of primary and secondary prevention and primary prevention alone) that are designed to prevent weight gain in children initially enrolled in grades 4 to 6, over a three-year period. The two approaches are derived from two pilot studies conducted by the scientific team on this project. One is called the HIPTeens project (a secondary prevention program) and the other is termed, the Wise Mind project (a primary prevention program). The efficacy of these two prevention approaches will be compared, in combination and singly, to an active control condition. The study will provide critical tests of prevention strategies that modify the child’s environment and provide health behavior modification counseling via environmental modification and/or internet counseling in the school setting (which includes computer laboratories). It is hypothesized that the combination of primary and secondary prevention will be more effective for preventing unhealthy weight gain in comparison to primary prevention alone because of the more powerful effect of the secondary prevention program upon children who are overweight or at risk for overweight. Both of the prevention programs are hypothesized to be more effective for preventing unhealthy weight gain than the no-treatment control. This project addresses NP 107, Human Nutrition, and is directed at component Relationship between Diet, Genetics, Lifestyle, and the Prevention of Obesity and Disease. 2.List by year the currently approved milestones (indicators of research progress) Primary Objective: To test the efficacy of the two intervention arms for prevention of weight (body mass index, BMI, percentile) gain via: a) a primary prevention program that employs an environmental approach, and b) a combined primary and secondary prevention program that uses a classroom/internet approach to promote weight (BMI percentile) loss or maintenance in children with a baseline BMI percentile > 85th percentile. In comparison to: c) a no-treatment control group. Milestones: FY 2005: Statistically design study. FY 2006: Recruit schools and students for the study. Complete development of school materials for the first phase of the prevention programs. 4a.List the single most significant research accomplishment during FY 2006. None. 4b.List other significant research accomplishment(s), if any. None. 4c.List significant activities that support special target populations. None. 4d.Progress report. This report serves to document the progress of research conducted under a Specific Cooperative Agreement between ARS and the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the inhouse research project is 6435-51000-001-00D, Dietary, Physiological, Genetic, and Behavioral Predictors of Weight Gain in a Healthy, Young, Ethnically-Mixed Population. In FY 2006, schools in the LA Gear-Up program were recruited for participation in the study. Sixteen school clusters in Avoyelles, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Madison, Pointe Coupee, and St. James parishes have been confirmed for participation and the securing of 2 school clusters from St. John parish is anticipated. Six school clusters from Tangipahoa parish will participate as observation only schools. In addition to securing school clusters, significant progress has been made in recruiting students to join LA Health. To date, 2,036 students have been recruited and the recruitment of an additional 400-500 students by September 2006 is anticipated. Finally, the research staff has been active in the planning phase of the project and has completed the development of materials for the first 1½ years of the prevention programs. Future efforts will include completion of recruitment by the end of August 2006, measurement of the participants in the fall of 2006, randomization of school clusters in late 2006, and the start of the prevention programs in early 2007. 5.Describe the major accomplishments to date and their predicted or actual impact. None. 6.What science and/or technologies have been transferred and to whom? When is the science and/or technology likely to become available to the end-user (industry, farmer, other scientists)? What are the constraints, if known, to the adoption and durability of the technology products? None. 7.List your most important publications in the popular press and presentations to organizations and articles written about your work. (NOTE: List your peer reviewed publications below). None.