Title
Effects of a Theory-Based Education Program to Prevent Overweightness in Primary School Children
Author
Kocken, P.L.
Scholten, A.M.
Westhoff, E.
Kok, B.P.H.
Taal, E.M.
Goldbohm, R.A.
Publication year
2016
Abstract
The effectiveness of the “Extra Fit!” (EF!) education program in promoting healthy diet and physical activity to prevent and reduce overweightness among primary school children aged 9 to 11 was evaluated. A randomized controlled design was carried out in 45 primary schools (n = 1112) in the Netherlands, 23 intervention and 22 control schools. The intervention schools received the education program for two successive school years in grades (U.S. system) 4, 5, and 6 (mean 7.6 h during 16 weeks per school per year). The control schools followed their usual curriculum. No positive effects of EF! were found with regard to behavior and anthropometric measures when follow-up measurements were compared to the baseline. However, from baseline to follow-up after one and two school years, the intervention group improved their knowledge score significantly compared to the control group. Moreover, an effect was observed for mean time spent inactively that increased more in the control group than in the intervention group. In conclusion, limited intervention effects were found for the intervention on knowledge and inactivity. To improve the effectiveness of education programs, we advise focusing on parental involvement, attractive lessons to enlarge the acceptability of the program, and multi-component environmental strategies.
Subject
Life
CH - Child Health
ELSS - Earth, Life and Social Sciences
Healthy for Life
Health
Healthy Living
Overweight
Primary school children
Education program
RCT
Nutrition
Physical activity
Behavioral determinants
Behavior
Child
Control group
Controlled clinical trial
Controlled study
Diet
Education program
Follow up
Human
Major clinical study
Netherlands
Primary school
Program acceptability
Tandomized controlled trial
Theoretical model
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:c632e297-a51a-482a-bf2f-417e912621c7
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8010012
TNO identifier
530714
Source
Nutrients, 8 (1), 12
Document type
article