Oral Presentation Australian and New Zealand Obesity Society Annual Scientific Conference 2026

Change in diet quality, food group and nutrient intakes of children aged 4-16 after participation in a multicomponent, community-based, family focused healthy lifestyle program pilot in Perth, Western Australia (144280)

Katie M Iwanowski 1 2 3 , Stephen Paull 1 2 3 , Stevie Raymond 2 , Chelsea Sharp 2 , Stephanie Smith 1 2 3 , Natasha Bear 4 , Deborah Kerr 5 , Yvonne C Anderson 1 2 3
  1. Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
  2. Child and Adolescent Community Health, Child and Adolescent Health Service, Perth, WA, Australia , Perth, WA, Australia
  3. The Kids Research Institute Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
  4. Institute for Health Research, Notre Dame University, Perth, WA, Australia
  5. Curtin School of Public Health, Bentley, WA, Australia

Background: Childhood obesity presents a growing health challenge globally, predicted to affect over 50% of children by 2050.1 In Australia, 25% of children are living with overweight or obesity before they commence school and childhood is a critical window for establishing dietary patterns to prevent future chronic disease.2 Multicomponent, family-based interventions to address obesity demonstrate effectiveness in children aged 4-16 but their impact on diet quality, food group and nutrient intake remains unclear.3 This study aims to assess the effect of a healthy lifestyle intervention in a cohort of Western Australian children and young people aged 4-16 on diet quality, food group and nutrient intake.

Methods: A hybrid type-2 effectiveness intervention trial design will be utilised to examine within-subject change in diet quality, food group and nutrient intakes from baseline at follow-up (>5 to <10 months from baseline) and program completion (>10 months to <15 months from baseline). The intervention consisted of health checks including individualised goal-setting and 20 hours of nutrition, physical activity and behavior change group sessions delivered to children and their caregivers by a multidisciplinary team. Diet scores, food group and nutrient intakes were derived from multi pass 24-hour dietary recalls at baseline, follow-up and completion health checks and converted to diet quality scores using the  The Dietary Guideline Index for Children and Adolescents (DGI-CA).

Results: It is expected that the intervention will exert and effect on overall diet quality, including a decrease in consumption of discretionary foods and beverages and an increase in consumption of fruit and vegetables at the follow-up and completion time points.

Conclusion: This study will contribute to the evidence base on the effect of healthy lifestyle interventions on diet quality, food group and nutrient intake in children living with obesity. It will outline which components of diet may be most useful to target in such interventions.