School-based health-promotion programs have an unknown effect on physical activity inequalities among children from low-income areas. A study was conducted to compare change in physical activity among 10- to 11-year-old children attending schools with and without health-promotion programs. The study found that school health programs implemented in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods reduced inequalities in physical activity. Increasing the availability of school-based health programs may be a promising approach to improving physical activity and preventing childhood obesity.

Weight-control practices of patients affected by severe obesity who are not seeking bariatric surgery 

A telephone survey was conducted to better understand the weight-control practices of patients affected by severe obesity who were not actively seeking bariatric surgery. The 295 participants surveyed who were affected by severe obesity reported actively working on weight loss (58 percent), although current use of commercial weight-loss programs and obesity pharmacotherapy was low (10 percent and 0.1 percent, respectively). Household income and race were strongly associated with use of commercial weight-loss programs. About half of the respondents were interested in learning more about pharmacotherapy, but few (33 percent) had ever discussed pharmacotherapy with their physician. Of the respondents, 29 percent had coverage for bariatric surgery, but those with coverage were not more likely to have discussed bariatric surgery with their physician. This survey suggests that interest in obesity treatment is high, coverage and receipt of treatment is low, and there is a potential socioeconomic disparity related to the use of commercial programs.