Purpose
Obesity among children from low-income families is becoming a social problem. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an obesity prevention program that included physical activity, nutrition education, behavioral modification, and primary caregiver participation components among children from low-income families.
Methods
The study analyzed a nonequivalent control group using a pretest-posttest design. A total of 77 children were recruited from six community childcare centers using purposive sampling. For the intervention group (n=40), the pretest was administered before the combined intervention program involving the participants' primary caregivers was conducted for 8 weeks. The posttest was conducted immediately after the program and again four weeks after the program.
Results
Flexibility (F=4.64, p=.020), muscular endurance (F=11.22, p<.001), nutritional knowledge scores (F=4.79, p=.010), body image satisfaction scores (F=4.74, p=.012), and self-esteem scores (F=3.81, p=.029) showed significant differences and interactions between group and time for the intervention and control groups.
Conclusion
Strategies to actively engage the primary caregivers of low-income families in children's obesity programs are needed. Obesity prevention programs for children based on the program in this study should be routinely developed, and continuing attention should be given to children from low-income families.

Citations

• Development of an integrated health promotion program for school-age children from vulnerable families in South Korea: a methodological study
  Eunjeong Bae, Eun Kyoung Choi
  Child Health Nursing Research.2025; 31(2): 107.     CrossRef
• Associations between Skipping Meals, Eating Alone, and Overweight or Obesity: A Secondary Data Analysis of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
  Yoon Jeong Choi, Jiwoo Lee
  Korean Journal of Adult Nursing.2025; 37(3): 297.     CrossRef
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of the standard traditional Korean medicine-based health promotion program for disadvantaged children in South Korea
  Eunhye Hyun, Jiseon Ryu, Kibong Kim, Sangjae Lee, Seungtae Kim, Byungmook Lim
  BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies.2022;[Epub]     CrossRef