Critical design features for establishing a childhood obesity monitoring program in Australia.

Efforts to combat childhood obesity in Australia are hampered by the lack of quality epidemiological data to routinely monitor the prevalence and distribution of the condition. This paper summarises the literature on issues relevant to childhood obesity monitoring and makes recommendations for implementing a school-based childhood obesity monitoring program in Australia. The primary purpose of such a program would be to collect population-level health data to inform both policy and the development and evaluation of community-based obesity prevention interventions. Recommendations are made for the types of data to be collected, data collection procedures and program management and evaluation. Data from an obesity monitoring program are crucial for directing and informing policies, practices and services, identifying subgroups at greatest risk of obesity and evaluating progress towards meeting obesity-related targets. Such data would also increase the community awareness necessary to foster change.

Solid versus liquid-satiety study in well-adjusted lap-band patients.

BACKGROUND: Patients following laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) are generally advised to avoid liquid calories, opt for solids and refrain from drinking with meals as this is believed to prolong satiety. The role of food consistency and satiety following LAGB is largely uninvestigated. The purpose of the study was to: (1) determine if food consistency impacts on post meal satiety in participants with well-adjusted LAGB and (2) compare the level of satiety achieved after consuming a solid versus a liquid meal between groups. METHODS: Twenty intervention (well-adjusted LAGB) and 20 control participants were recruited. All participants consumed three iso-caloric breakfasts that were randomised for nine mornings. Participants were asked to rate their satiety on visual analogue scales (VAS) at set times after the test meal. Areas under the curve (AUC) VAS scores were compared within and between groups. RESULTS: Solids (bars) with or without water provided greater satiety than the liquids (shakes) for both groups. Drinking water with the bar did influence satiety in the intervention group. For the intervention group (LAGB), AUC VAS values for the bar with water were 77.4 ± 11.2* and 72.4 ± 16.7* for the controls. CONCLUSION: Solid meals are more satisfying in both LAGB and non-LAGB individuals. However, a solid meal with accompanying water did not alter meal satiety.