History and Overview of SWITCH
Original Research on SWITCH
The Switch program was based on research led by investigators working with a non - profit group called the National Institute of Media and the Family. The efficacy study was conducted during the 2005-2006 school year with over 1,300 families in Lakeville, MN and Cedar Rapids, IA. Key findings from this study (published in BMC Medicine) are summarized below:
- Children who were more obese consumed the highest amount of screen time at the beginning of the program
- Children who were actively engaged in the program and who were at the highest risk reduced their screen time, increased their fruit and vegetable consumption, and increased their activity level.
- At the 6-month follow-up, parents reported significantly lower screen time, and parents and children both reported significant increases in fruit and vegetable consumption.
