ABSTRACT
As part of a school-based intervention to prevent obesity in 7 public schools located in Chile, we carried out a study to determine the children's preferences related to the types of foods purchased at the school kiosk in two of those schools. We interviewed 668, 10-13 years old children (53.1 percent boys) and in addition to the types of foods purchased, we assessed the foods brought from home. A descriptive analysis of the data was carried out. Sixty percent of the children had money to buy snacks; they mostly bought sweet snacks (35 percent), juice and ice cream (33 percent) and salty snacks (30 percent). Eleven percent of the children bought yogurt and 7 percent fruit. Children indicated as motivations to buy high energy snacks: were tasty (82 percent), sold at the kiosk (46 percent) and are cheap (38 percent). It is important to increase the supply of healthy snacks and to develop strategies to motivate schoolchildren to prefer them.
Se estudiaron las preferencias de compra de alimentos en el kiosco en escolares de 2 colegios de Chile. Se encuestaron 668 niños entre 10 y 13 años, 355 (53.1 por ciento) de sexo masculino, sobre los alimentos que llevaban de colación, los que compraban con su dinero y las motivaciones para la compra de alimentos. Los datos fueron analizados en forma descriptiva en la Unidad de Estadística del Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos (INTA). El 60 por ciento de los niños disponía de dinero para comprar alimentos y los que compraban habitualmente eran productos envasados dulces (35 por ciento), jugos y helados (33 por ciento) y productos envasados salados (30 por ciento). El 11 por ciento compraba yogur y el 7 por ciento fruta. Los niños señalaron como motivaciones para comer alimentos no saludables: son ricos (82 por ciento), los venden en el kiosco (46 por ciento) y son baratos (38 por ciento). Esto significa que es necesario aumentar la oferta y generar estrategias que motiven a los niños a preferir alimentos saludables dentro de los recintos educacionales.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Child , Adolescent , Advertising , Child Behavior/psychology , Food Preferences , Motivation , School Feeding , Cross-Sectional Studies , Feeding Behavior , Food and Nutrition Education , Whole FoodsABSTRACT
Background: With the aim of contributing to he Healthy Goal 2010 of reducing significantly the prevalence of childhood obestiy we developed and implemented during 2003 and 2004, a school-based obesity prevention intervention which included nutrition education and the promotion of physical activity. Aim To report the results of the intervention. Material and methods: The sample included 1760 children (1st to 7th grade) from 3 elementary public schools in Casablanca (experimental group) and 671 from a similar school located in Quillota, a neighboring city (control). Primary outcomes were body mass index (BMI) Zscore, the mile and shuttle-run tests and obesity prevalence. We also compared changes in waist circumference and triceps skinfold between both groups. Effectiveness of the intervention was assessed by analyzing separately the group *age* time interaction for the first 3 outcomes (follow-up-baseline), using a mixed model of covariance and by comparing variations in obesity prevalence between both groups. Results: There was a significant decline in BMI Z scores in experimental schools for both genders, but greater in boys (p <0.001 versus p =0.0034 in girls), while in controls, BMI Z scores increased. Obesity prevalence declined significantly in experimental schools; from 17 to 12.3 percent and from 14.1 to 10.3 percent in boys and girls respectively, while in the control group, it remained unchanged. Also, triceps skinfold in girls from Casablanca increased significantly ¡ess than that of control girls. Conclusion: This intervention proved that it is possible to reduce significantly the prevalence of obesity in Chilean schoolchildren attending public elementary schools.
Subject(s)
Child , Female , Humans , Male , Health Education/standards , Motor Activity/physiology , Nutrition Assessment , Obesity/prevention & control , Physical Fitness/physiology , Age Factors , Body Mass Index , Chile/epidemiology , Epidemiologic Methods , Health Promotion/methods , Obesity/epidemiology , Sex DistributionABSTRACT
Se diseñó, implementó durante tres años (de 2002 a 2004) y evaluó una intervención en alimentación/nutrición y actividad física en escolares de educación básica de Casablanca. El objetivo general fue determinar la evolución en la prevalencia de obesidad en los mismos niños durante los tres años del estudio. La muestra incluyó 1103 escolares que en el 2002 estaban entre 1º a 6º básico en las tres escuelas municipales de la ciudad y que contaban con mediciones durante el período completo. Los componentes más importantes de la intervención incluyeron la aplicación de programa educativo FAO/INTA, charlas a los padres, aumento de las clases de educación física y un programa motivacional de actividad física. Los resultados muestran que la prevalencia de obesidad fue muy alta al inicio y que disminuyó de 21,6 por ciento a 12,2 por ciento en hombres y de 19,4 por ciento a 8,7 por ciento en mujeres. Este mismo análisis según categoría de edad al inicio y sexo, mostró una disminución a un tercio de la prevalencia original en mujeres que tuvieron entre 8 y 10 años y hombres entre 10 y 12 años al comienzo del estudio. Esta intervención fue exitosa en reducir significativamente la obesidad en escolares.
We designed, implemented during three years (from 2002 to 2004) and evaluated a school-based food/nutrition and physical activity intervention for primary school children from Casablanca, Chile. The general objective was to determine the trend in obesity prevalence during the three years of study of children followed longitudinally. The sample included 1103 children that attended 1st to 6th grade in 2002 in the three existing public primary schools of the city. The most important components of the intervention included the application of a educational program for primary school children developed by FAO/INTA, educational sessions for parents, increase in the number of physical (PE) education classes and a motivational PE program. Results showed that the baseline obesity prevalence was very high and decreased from 21.6 percent to 12.2 percent in boys and from 19.4 percent to 8.7 percent in girls. This same analysis done by age category at baseline and sex, showed that the prevalence was one third of the initial one in girls aged 8 to 10 years and boys aged 10 to 12 years at baseline. This intervention proved to decrease significantly the obesity prevalence among school children.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Health Promotion , Motor Activity , Nutrition Programs , Obesity , Students , Anthropometry , Chile , Nutrition Assessment , Obesity/prevention & controlABSTRACT
En 1.431 escolares de 4º básico (748 hombres y 683 mujeres) asistentes a escuelas de nivel socioeconómico (NSE) medio y bajo en Santiago, se evaluó el estado nutricional y el consumo de alimentos seleccionados como línea base de una intervención para promover el consumo de pescado. La prevalencia de obesidad alcanzó al 17 y 11,6por ciento en los niños y niñas de NSE bajo y al 13,2 y 12,6 por ciento en el NSE medio, respectivamente (NS). El consumo de lácteos fue insuficiente, mayor en el NSE medio que en el bajo (356 vs 316 ml/promedio/día) (p<0.001). El consumo de frutas y verduras fue bajo en ambos grupos y el de pan mayor en el NSE bajo que en el medio (220 vs 203 g/promedio/día) (p<0.001). El consumo de pescado sólo alcanzó a los 9 g/promedio/día, sin diferencias por NSE. Los resultados del estudio muestran la necesidad de realizar intervenciones para aumentar el consumo de pescado en la población escolar.
Nutritional status and food intake of 1.431 school children of 4th grade (748 boys and 683 girls) were evaluated as a baseline of a project for promoting fish consumption The school children attended 20 schools of low and medium socioeconomic level (SEL) from Santiago. The resulting prevalence of obesity was 17 and 11.6 percent in boys and girls of low SEL, respectively, and 13.2 and 12.6 percent, in medium SEL (NS). The intake of dairy products was insufficient, higher in medium than in low SEL (356 vs 316 g/average/day) (p<0.001). Fruit and vegetable intake was low in both groups and bread intake higher in low than in medium SEL (220 vs 203 g/average/day) (p<0.001). The quantity of fish consumed was only 9 g/average/day, with no differences by SEL. The results of this study show the importance of developing interventions to improve fish intake among school children.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Child , Eating , Food and Nutritional Health Promotion , Nutrition Surveys , Nutritional Status , Seafood , Students , Chile , Students/statistics & numerical data , Nutrition Assessment , Obesity/epidemiology , Socioeconomic Factors , Whole FoodsABSTRACT
Background: The Chilean Ministry of Health has developed a health promotion program called «Vida Chile¼, whose aim is to target risk factors for chronic diseases. To achieve this, school-based initiatives in nutrition and physical activity have been implemented. The evaluation of these initiatives includes a baseline assessment of these two variables. Aim: Baseline assessment of the nutritional status and aerobic capacity of elementary school children (1st to 8th grade). Material and methods: Children from seven public schools were studied. Weight, height, triceps skinfold thickness and waist circumference were measured. To test the aerobic capacity, the 20-m Shuttle Run Test (Navette) was utilized. Results: The assessment included 4,271 children, mean age was 10.2 years. The percentile of body mass index, as compared to the CDC 2000 Reference was 67.8±26.7 and 68±26.7 for boys and girls, respectively. The prevalence of obesity among children from 6 to 8 years, was 20.3 and 17.7% for boys and girls, respectively. Approximately 30% of males and 15% of females with normal weight had a good aerobic resistance, compared to 15 and 4% of their overweight counterparts. Aerobic capacity decreased with increasing age. Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of obesity and a deficient level of aerobic capacity among children attending public schools in Chile.