A school-based intervention for a better future: study protocol of Sintra Grows Healthy

Abstract

Background Preventing childhood obesity is a public health challenge of the twenty-first century and it must be a priority. Governments play a major role in creating and supporting a healthy school environment and should prioritise actions to improve children’s health. Sintra Grows Healthy aims to promote healthy lifestyles to prevent childhood obesity and improve children’s health-related quality of life and social and emotional skills, through the development of a school evidence-based and sustainable model. Methods This protocol describes a quasi-experimental design and community-based participatory research. The participants included in the study are the school community of Portuguese public primary schools from the municipality of Sintra. Data will be collected on demographic and socio-economic characterization, nutritional status, eating habits and behaviours, physical activity, sedentary behaviours and sleep, health-related quality of life, and social and emotional skills. Discussion There is evidence to support interventions in school settings as strategies for obesity prevention. Up-to-date homogeneous and community-based interventions for preventing childhood obesity are lacking, therefore Sintra Grows Healthy intends to fill this gap. Furthermore, Sintra Grows Healthy aims to contribute with relevant scientific findings that will allow the development of better strategies for policymakers and society to manage this major public health problem.

Analytical Assessment and Nutritional Adequacy of School Lunches in Sintra’s Public Primary Schools

“…The mean content of salt did not differ significantly from the reference values, unlike other national studies, where the mean content of salt exceeded recommendations [41,42]. This result might be due to the salt control policy already implemented in school canteens in Sintra [43]. Concerning salt content, the bread alongside the meal may contribute to an increase in the salt content of school lunches.…”

“…The implementation of joint school food environment policies and food and nutrition education interventions are more efficient in enhancing children's dietary habits [11]. Sintra's municipality has recognized the role of such complementary policies and implements, and monitors a comprehensive and multicomponent school-based intervention: Sintra Grows Healthy [43]. Thus, ensuring coherent action between the integration of food literacy in the curriculum and the development of actions capable of modifying the school food environment is crucial to facilitate and support the adoption of healthy behaviours.…”

Prediabetes in Adolescents: Prevalence, Management and Diabetes Prevention Strategies

“…63 Multiple guidelines have emphasized crucial roles for government, society, and healthcare system policy approaches to take action against childhood obesity. 64 …”

Children Learn, Children Do! Results of the “Planning Health in School”, a Behavioural Change Programme

“…Despite the aforementioned limitations, the current published research on developing an effective and sustainable intervention to improve children's eating behaviour in Portugal is scarce (e.g., [41,43,44]). It is expected that the present results can have important implications for improving the design of other school programmes that are intended to promote healthy eating and active living in young people.…”