Longitudinal Weight Gain Control in School-Based Nutrition Interventions for Childhood Obesity Prevention Among Secondary School Students in Lagos, Nigeria: A Six-Year Study

Childhood obesity is a significant public health issue in Lagos, Nigeria, where secondary school students are at risk due to sedentary lifestyles and poor dietary habits. A longitudinal cohort study was conducted with a sample size of 500 students from 20 secondary schools. Participants were followed annually for six years, and data on dietary intake, physical activity levels, and weight changes were collected using standardised questionnaires and anthropometric measurements. Over the course of six years, participants showed an average longitudinal reduction in weight gain by 15% compared to a control group. The intervention had a positive impact on students' nutritional knowledge scores (mean increase from baseline of 20% with a confidence interval of [18%, 22%]). The school-based nutrition interventions significantly reduced longitudinal weight gain in secondary school students and improved their dietary literacy. Further research should explore the long-term effects of these interventions on obesity-related health outcomes, including metabolic markers and cardiovascular risk factors. Treatment effect was estimated with $\text{logit}(p_i)=\beta_0+\beta^\top X_i$, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.