Dutch teachers and parents about overweight prevention in pre-vocational schools

Abstract

Healthier lifestyles may contribute to prevent overweight in adolescents. Although school-based interventions show promising results, adoption and implementation by secondary schools and involvement of parents is difficult. Our study aims to gain a better understanding of the problem awareness and beliefs of school staff and parents regarding adolescents' overweight and energy balance-related behaviour, their motivation for health-promoting activities and suggested actions in the school environment. Focus group interviews were conducted with three groups of parents and three groups of school staff at three pre-vocational schools in the Netherlands. Comments concerning awareness, motivation to intervene and possible actions were analysed with the Atlas.ti program. Results showed that school staff and parents were aware of overweight as a health problem, but underestimated the prevalence and impact of overweight and unhealthy behaviour in their school. Health-related behaviour of adolescents was considered primarily the responsibility of parents, but the school staff also had a pedagogical responsibility. Parents and school staff agreed that health promotion efforts would have more impact on adolescents' behaviour, when school-based activities were supported by parents and parental efforts were supported by school health promotion. Therefore, parental efforts and school-based activities should be aligned by developing and expressing shared norms about healthy behaviour and parents should be taught how to discuss healthy dietary and physical activity behaviour with their children. To tackle peer group culture and the obese environment, parents' and school staff's efforts should be part of an integrated community approach.

La formación en educación para la salud del alumnado universitario del grado de educación infantil en España

“…Health and education professionals [43][44][45] and the family institution are critical agents of an ideal proliferation of healthy habits and lifestyles in childhood 18,46,47 .…”

“…Also, we agree on even more extensive collaboration with other fields of work. Several studies 48 , the media, scientific organizations, and other organizations linked to school health research and promotion 46 . We do not advocate a mere juxtaposition of sectors, but rather the achievement of authentic intersectoral action, which requires a slow, negotiated process and constant dialogue 49 .…”

Background and evaluation design of a community-based health-promoting school intervention: Fit Lifestyle at School and at Home (FLASH)

“…They experience difficulties with parental involvement in general with regard to health-promotion topics [16, 25]. Schools and parents may also differ in their perceptions of the role and responsibilities of the school in stimulating healthy behaviours among adolescents [26, 27]. Both parents and teachers experience low self-efficacy in stimulating healthy behaviour in adolescents [27, 28].…”

Ocio familiar y actividad física de ocio en estudiantes de bachillerato ¿alianza, rivalidad o independencia?

“…PALAVRAS-CHAVE: lazer; família; atividade física cher, Hirasing, Seidell & Renders, 2014;Silva, Lott, Mota & Welk, 2014).…”

“…Estas controversias científicas, resaltan la necesidad de seguir profundizando en investigaciones que contemplen a los progenitores, en cualquier intento por entender y potenciar las experiencias físico-deportivas de los adolescentes. & Renders, 2014;Silva, Lott, Mota & Welk, 2014).…”