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After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. 

Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future. 

On the transfer, co-founder Victoria Martin expressed her pleasure to see this work continue under Wits' leadership, knowing that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction. 

As Wits, we honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades and look forward building from that strong base. This includes co-founders Warren Feek (1953-2024) and Victoria Martin as well as La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA), which continues independently at lainiciativadecomunicacion.com with links to The CI Global site. We are also eager to forge new partnerships and entertain new ideas as we consider how best to contribute to social and behaviour change in our rapidly evolving environment.

If you are joining the International Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) Summit in Panama, please join Wits and CILA on Monday, 22 June, to share your thoughts and suggestion for the relaunch of the Communication Initiative. We will be in Pacifica 5 from 12-1:25 for the Refuel, Reflect, and Renew Lunch Series: The Communication Initiative: celebrating a driving force for Communication for Social Change and the way forward. We will reflect on the legacy of Warren Feek and family in creating the Communication Initiative, consider the contributions of CI over the years and then turn our attention towards the future in this dynamic session. 

If you are unable to join us in Panama, we still want to hear from you. Please contribute your thoughts by following this link: https://redcap.link/CommunicationInitiative2026 or reaching out to ci_surveys@commint.com. 

You can also follow the QR Code:

 https://redcap.link/CommunicationInitiative2026

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School-based obesity prevention in Chilean primary school children: Methodology and evaluation of a controlled study

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Kain, J., R. Uauy, et al. (2004). "School-based obesity prevention in Chilean primary school children: Methodology and evaluation of a controlled study." International Journal of Obesity 28(4): 483-493.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of a 6 months nutrition education and physical activity intervention on primary school children through changes in adiposity and physical fitness.

DESIGN: Longitudinal school-based controlled evaluation study.

SUBJECTS: Children from 1st to 8th grade, 2141 in intervention and 945 in control schools.

INTERVENTION: Nutrition education for children and parents, 'healthier' kiosks, 90 min of additional physical activity (PA) weekly, behavioral PA program and active recess.

MEASUREMENTS: Adiposity indices (BMI, BMI Z-score, triceps skinfold thickness (TSF), waist circumference and physical fitness (20 m shuttle run test and lower back flexibility).

RESULTS: Positive effect on adiposity indices (except TSF) was observed in boys (P<0.001 for BMI Z), while both physical fitness parameters increased significantly in both boys (P<0.001 for each test) and girls (P< 0.0001 for each test). A differential effect in BMI Z was observed according to baseline nutritional status.

CONCLUSIONS: This intervention showed a robust effect on physical fitness in both genders and decreased adiposity only in boys.