The effects of a 2-year individualized and family-based lifestyle intervention on physical activity, sedentary behavior and diet in children

•The PANIC is a controlled physical activity and diet intervention study in children.•The 2-year intervention was individualized and family-based.•The intervention increased total and unsupervised physical activity and organized sports.•The intervention attenuated the increase in using computer and playing video games.•The intervention enhanced a number of components of diet quality.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of a long-term, individualized and family-based lifestyle intervention on physical activity, sedentary behavior and diet quality in children.MethodsWe carried out a 2-year intervention study in a population sample of 506 children aged 6-8 years in Finland in 2007-2012. We allocated the participants at baseline in the intervention and control group. We assessed physical activity and sedentary behavior by questionnaires and diet by food records.ResultsTotal physical activity (+ 9 min/d in intervention group vs. − 5 min/d in control group, p = 0.001 for time*group interaction), unsupervised physical activity (+ 7 min/d vs. − 9 min/d, p < 0.001) and organized sports (+ 8 min/d vs. + 3 min/d, p = 0.001) increased in the intervention group but not in the control group. Using computer and playing video games increased less in the intervention group than in the control group (+ 9 min/d vs. + 19 min/d, p = 0.003). Consumption of vegetables (+ 12 g/d vs. − 12 g/d, p = 0.001), high-fat vegetable-oil based margarine (+ 10 g/d vs. + 3 g/d, p < 0.001) and low-fat milk (+ 69 g/d vs. + 11 g/d, p = 0.042) and intake of dietary fiber (+ 1.3 g/d vs. + 0.2 g/d, p = 0.023), vitamin C (+ 4.5 mg/d vs. − 7.2 mg/d, p = 0.042) and vitamin E (+ 1.4 mg/d vs. + 0.5 mg/d, p = 0.002) increased in the intervention group but not in the control group. Consumption of butter-based spreads increased in the control group but not in the intervention group (+ 2 g/d vs. − 1 g/d, p = 0.002).ConclusionsIndividualized and family-based lifestyle intervention increased physical activity, attenuated increase in sedentary behavior and enhanced diet quality in children.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01803776.