The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children attending special primary education and to evaluate the effects of a multidisciplinary school-based lifestyle intervention.

Lifestyle changes related to high-fat diets and low levels of physical activity have resulted in a rising prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents. Ten per cent of the world's school-aged children are estimated to have excess body fat. Overweight and obesity during childhood and adolescence tend to continue into adulthood, increasing the likelihood of a range of impaired health conditions including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and some cancers. School-based interventions have been proposed to prevent or treat obesity and have been described as a promising approach to reducing obesity among youth. First the extent and the characteristics of the problem have to be assessed for different types of education.

Comparison(s): the prevalence of overweight and obesity in special primary education will be compared to the prevalence in regular primary education. In special primary education, obese and overweight children will be randomised into a experimentel group (6 months of lifestyle intervention including diet and physical activity) and a control group (6 months normal treatment, if any, e.g. exercises for motor skills).

Inclusion Criteria:

• children attending special and regular primary education

Exclusion Criteria:

• endocrine conditions affecting bodyweight (e.g. thyroid disease, diabetes)
• mental or physical disabilities that make it impossible to participate in sports activities