Effectiveness of a school-based nutrition education program on waist circumference and dietary behavior among overweight adolescents in Puducherry, India

Abstract

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.

A Systematic Review of School-Based Nutrition Interventions for Promoting Healthy Dietary Practices and Lifestyle Among School Children and Adolescents

“…A few studies appeared to meet the inclusion criteria but were excluded due to age group and study design. Among 23 studies [ 8 , 9 , 11 , 13 - 16 , 23 , 28 , 32 , 35 , 36 , 38 , 43 , 51 - 57 , 60 , 61 ], 22 are randomized controlled trials [ 8 , 9 , 11 , 13 - 16 , 23 , 28 , 32 , 35 , 36 , 38 , 43 , 51 - 55 , 57 , 60 , 61 ], and one study [ 56 ] is a pooled analysis from five randomized studies. There were six quasi-experimental trials [ 17 , 20 , 27 , 31 , 34 , 40 ] and 10 experimental or interventional studies [ 10 , 12 , 19 , 21 , 24 - 26 , 42 , 59 , 62 ].…”

“…In terms of sample sizes, they ranged from 51 to 5926 participants [ 8 - 17 , 19 - 21 , 23 - 28 , 31 , 32 , 34 - 36 , 38 , 40 , 42 , 43 , 51 - 55 , 57 , 59 , 60 - 62 ]. Fourteen studies [ 11 , 12 , 17 , 24 , 27 , 31 , 34 , 36 , 38 , 40 , 53 , 57 , 59 , 60 ] had fewer than 500 participants, 12 studies [ 8 , 9 , 13 , 20 , 21 , 23 , 25 , 35 , 42 , 43 , 54 , 62 ] had between 501 and 1000 participants, and another 12 studies [ 10 , 14 - 16 , 19 , 26 , 28 , 32 , 51 , 52 , 55 , 61 ] had more than 1000 participants.…”

“…Regarding intervention types, 13 studies involved extensive multi-component strategies [ 8 - 16 , 31 , 34 , 52 , 55 ], 15 were nutrition education interventions [ 17 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 23 - 27 , 51 , 57 , 59 - 62 ], six focused on physical activity interventions [ 28 , 32 , 35 , 36 , 38 , 54 ], and four on lifestyle and nutrition-related behavior [ 40 , 42 , 43 , 53 ]. Another 24 of the 62 included studies [ 1 - 7 , 18 , 22 , 26 , 29 , 30 , 33 , 37 , 39 , 41 , 44 - 50 , 58 ] were original articles, review articles, and government guidelines, protocols, policies, and reports regarding school children and adolescents’ nutritional status.…”

“…The duration of the interventions ranged from one day [ 12 ] to five years [ 52 ], with 25 studies [ 8 , 10 - 12 , 17 , 19 - 21 , 26 - 28 , 32 , 34 - 36 , 38 , 40 , 42 , 43 , 53 , 54 , 57 , 59 , 60 , 62 ] lasting less than one year. Post-intervention follow-ups, conveyed in 26 research articles [ 9 , 11 , 13 , 15 , 17 , 19 , 20 , 23 , 26 - 28 , 31 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 40 , 42 , 43 , 51 - 55 , 57 , 60 - 62 ], ranged between one week [ 28 ] and five years [ 52 ].…”

Prevalence and Influencing Factors of Test Anxiety Among Adolescent School Students in A South Indian Town – A Cross-Sectional Interventional Trial.

“…The term "adolescence" comes from the Latin word adolescence, which means "to grow into adulthood." It begins with the onset of puberty and ends with the assumption of adult responsibilities; as one philosopher remarked, adolescence begins in biology and ends in culture 1 . Mental health problems can develop at any point in life.…”