Short Term Effects of School-Based Obesity Control Programs Performed on Elementary Students

BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity leads to a high possibility of adult obesity. Previous studies show cases of research on obesity control programs led by doctors specializing in obesity, and dietitians. However, no such research have yet targeted schools, where such obesity control program are led by the school's staff (dietitian, school nurse and physical education teacher) instead. Thus, this research set out to determine whether obesity control programs could be effectively utilized within elementary schools as a part of the school health problems. As a start, a book on Elementary School Obese Children Control Program was used as the main text to provide the basics of the program. METHODS: The research was targeted at an elementary school located in NoWon district, where 16 moderate obese children from grades 3 to 6, were chosen to participate in training once every week for 6 weeks, together with exercises once every week for 5 weeks. RESULTS: The evaluation of the obesity control program showed significant results in obesity index, body fat and HDL-cholesterol. The school nurse contacted each student's teacher every day and an exercise or training was scheduled, so that students could participate in the program. This contributed to a high participation rate, with an overall participation rate reaching 85% and an exercise participation rate reaching 79%. During the evaluation of the program, it was found that the regular exercises carried out once a week in the school led the students to get in the habit of exercising regularly after school. CONCLUSION: It is considered that there would be a considerable change in childhood obesity control if the school nurse, dietitian and physical education teachers each played a part in carrying out an obesity control program as part of the school health care.

3-Day adolescent smoking cessation program in a tertiary level hospital

BACKGROUND: Despite the fact that adolescent smokers are increasing in Korea, an effective smoking cessation program is not widely available. The purpose of the present study was to develop and evaluate a short term smoking cessation program. METHODS: The subjects involved in the smoking cessation program were 89 students from 9 different middle and high schools located in Seoul. They were referred to our program by their school teacher as a penalty for smoking in school. The duration of the program was a total of 270 minutes and the program was carried out in 3 sessions during a period of one week. The program included cigarette related experiments and life skills enhancement training, such as self-assertiveness, cigarette refusal skills and self esteem enhancement. The students considered to be smoke free at the end of the program were those who declared themselves to be smoke free and achieved an expiratory CO level of less than 8 ppm. The stage of smoking cessation was also assessed at the beginning to later evaluate if any progress in stage had occurred. Certification was given to those who succeeded in meeting the smoke free criteria. The students who were not able to meet the smoke free criteria were given the certification only under the condition that they achieve a level of expiratory CO measurement close th that of a nonsmoker's. RESULTS: Eighty seven students out of the 89 received the certification and 90.7% had attempted smoking cessation during the program. 39.1% Among, met the smoke free criteria used in this study. There was a significant difference between those who declared to be smoke free (54.1%) on the questionnaire and those who actually met the smoke free criteria. There was an average of a 0.75 stage advancement in terms of the stage of smoking cessation (P<0.005). CONCLUSIONS: The program yielded high smoking cessation attempt and cessation rate in spite of the short duration of the program.