The preschool years are a sensitive period for the development of food preferences that will affect physical growth and life-long health. The promotion of healthy eating and nutritional status was achieved by adapting the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Mission X (MX) Program among young children in South Korea. The intervention program was delivered by nutritional experts and class teachers over 10 weeks. Children from 37 school classes (n = 534) from 7 daycares and kindergartens were randomized into a control group (CG, n = 280) and an intervention group (IG, n = 254). Parents were surveyed for their children’s characteristics and nutrition quotient (NQ) at baseline and at the 10-week follow-up. At baseline, 18.8% (boys: 18.9%; girls: 18.8%) of the subjects were overweight or obese (body mass index ≥ 85th percentile). After the intervention, the mean differences in various anthropometric measures did not differ significantly between the groups in a linear regression model adjusted for age, sex, and type of school. The NQ grades were significantly higher in the IG than the CG after the intervention (p = 0.000). In summary, the 10-week South Korean MX program improved the eating behaviors and nutrition status of young children. A further multisector prevention program is needed to prevent childhood obesity in young children.
The adapted NASA Mission X program was feasible and effective in promoting PA in kindergarteners, and also improved their parents' attitude and beliefs about children's PA in South Korea. This study provided a model for promoting childhood health through child care and educational settings.
[Purpose] The present study attempted to verify the effectiveness of an early childhood physical health improvement program (subsequently in the present study, KICCE Early Childhood Health Improvement Program) developed in Korea by modifying and improving the Mission-X: Train Like an Astronaut program developed by NASA to be suitable for children of ages 4 and 5. [Methods] The subjects in the study were 679 children at 7 facilities in Seongnam city, Osan city, and Yongin city, of which 4 were daycares and 3 were kindergartens. The participant group consisted of 339 children, and the control group consisted of 340 children. The program consisted of total 24 activities 3 times a week over 8 weeks, of which 8 activities were related to nutrition and 16 activities were related to physical activity, and in the 9th and 10th weeks, the 16 physical activities were reconfigured and performed 3 times a week. Physical parameters and related fitness parameters were measured before and after the program, and an ANCOVA analysis was performed in which descriptive statistics and scores before the program were the covariate variables. [Results] The results show that first, growth statuses of participant children were in the upper middle section of the distribution, and second, of the 6 fitness developments, flexibility, balance, and quickness were improved, and in most areas, boys and below-normal-BMI group showed beneficial effects. [Conclusion] Thus, KICCE Early Childhood Health Improvement Program is conclusively proven to be effective for early-childhood physical development.
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