BACKGROUND: The influence of western lifestyle such as high-caloric dense food and sedentary lifestyle has a great influence on Indian children, and the current prevalence of childhood overweight in India ranges between 4% and 22%. The primary aim of the study was to determine the change in growth parameters (waist circumference) as well as dietary behaviors at baseline and at the end of first, third, sixth, and ninth months among overweight adolescent girls and boys following a school-based nutritional education program. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted in 2019 in four urban schools at Puducherry which were randomly assigned to study and control groups by lottery method, and 140 overweight children aged 11–14 years were in the study group and 140 children were in the control group. Simple random sampling method was used to select the samples A nutrition education program highlighting the importance of balanced nutrition and the ill effects of obesity was imparted to students in the study group through a PowerPoint presentation. As a means of reinforcement, posters and pamphlets were distributed. The waist circumference and the mean calorie, protein, and fat intake were assessed at baseline and at the first, third, sixth, and ninth months and compared between groups using independent t test. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant reduction in waist circumference in the study group when compared to the control group at P < 0.05. A significant decrease in the calorie intake at P < 0.001 and fat intake at P < 0.01 was observed in the study group. The protein intake in the study group increased at the end of 9 months, which was significant at P < 0.001. CONCLUSION: School-based nutritional education program has been found to be a successful intervention in controlling unnecessary weight gain among overweight adolescents.

Background: Globally, the prevalence of overweight and obesity has dramatically increased in the recent years. In India, more than 10% of schoolchildren are overweight or obese. Schools play a major role in the modification of behavior. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of after-school physical activity intervention on body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference/height ratio as primary outcomes. Materials and Methods: A randomized controlled trial was adopted where the schools were randomized. Each group, i.e., study and control groups, had 140 overweight adolescents. BMI and waist circumference/height ratio were measured. After-school physical activity intervention was carried out for a period of 9 months by the study group. The posttests were carried out at an interval of 3 months up till 9 months. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in BMI between the study and control groups during the 6th and 9th months (t = 1.256, P < 0.001 and t = 0.920, P < 0.001), respectively. The repeated measures analysis of variance did not show a significant reduction in BMI and waist circumference/height ratio over a period of time. Conclusion: School-based physical activity interventions are effective in prevention of childhood overweight/obesity and are a very cost-effective measure that can be easily implemented in schools.

BACKGROUND Most patients experience post–operative pain and it is unavoidable. It is the duty of the nurses to ensure that patients' pain is assessed and managed effectively when they are at the hospital. Foot reflex therapy is one effective way nurses can adopt to manage the patient with pain after surgery. We wanted to evaluate the effectiveness of foot reflex therapy on post-operative pain in patients who are subjected to major abdominal surgery. METHODS This is a descriptive randomized control study that was conducted at Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Hospital, among 360 patients who underwent major abdominal surgery. They were equally divided into two groups as control and study groups and the results were analyzed statistically. RESULTS Majority of the patients in the study group showed a positive effect on pain control during 4th and 5th [ (Mean: 1.27 with SD: 1.12) (Mean: 0.03with SD: 0.32) at p < 0.001] post-operative day following foot reflex therapy. CONCLUSIONS The existing pain and the post-operative pain can be managed by nurses, patients, their care takers or families together, whenever appropriate, in a multidisciplinary manner. Foot reflex therapy is one such alternative complementary therapy which the nurses can adopt to implement the techniques independently. KEY WORDS Foot Reflex Therapy, Foot Reflexology, Alternative Medicine, Complementary Therapy, Post-Operative Day (POD)

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