The effects of a comprehensive community trial on cardiometabolic risk factors in adolescents: Isfahan healthy heart program

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the effects of a ۶-year-long communityparticipatoryprogram including school-based interventions on mean values and prevalence ofcardiometabolic risk factors among adolescents.METHODS: The interventions of this community trial, conducted from ۲۰۰۰ to ۲۰۰۷ in Iran,targeted the whole population (of nearly two millions) living in two cities considered as theintervention area (IA) in comparison with a reference area (RA). Data from surveys conductedbefore and after interventions was used to compare the differences between the secondaryschool students of the IA and RA.RESULTS: The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia declinedsignificantly in girls and boys in the IA (P < ۰.۰۱). The prevalence of high LDL-C decreasedsignificantly in the girls in the RA (P = ۰.۰۰۲). Among both sexes in the IA, the prevalence oflow HDL-C increased significantly (P < ۰.۰۰۱), whereas it decreased in the girls and boys in theRA (P = ۰.۰۴). Although in the IA, the prevalence of overweight and obesity decreasedsignificantly in girls (P = ۰.۰۰۱), it increased in boys (P = ۰.۰۰۱) as well as in the girls of the RA(P = ۰.۰۱).CONCLUSION: By performing school-based interventions, our study was successful, at least inpart, in controlling some cardiometabolic risk factors in adolescents. Such modifications mayhave long-term impacts on non-communicable diseases prevention in adulthood.Keywords: Prevention, Adolescents, Lifestyle, Community Trial, Iran.