‘FIFA 11 for Health’ for Europe. 1: effect on health knowledge and well-being of 10- to 12-year-old Danish school children

Abstract

AimTo modify the ‘FIFA 11 for Health’ programme to the European situation, and to assess its effects on health knowledge and well-being in Danish school children.MethodA two-cohort study with seven intervention and two control schools. Of the 546 Danish children (boys 269; girls 277) of mean age 11.1 (±0.4) years from five city and four country-side schools, 402 undertook the ‘FIFA 11 for Health’ programme and 144 acted as controls. As part of each school's PE curriculum, seven intervention schools received a 45 min Play Football period (football skills and 3 vs 3 games) and a 45 min Play Fair period (health issues and football drills) on a weekly-basis for 11 weeks. Control participants continued with their regular school PE activities. Participants completed preintervention and postintervention health knowledge and well-being questionnaires.ResultsOverall, health knowledge increase was significantly (p<0.05) greater for the intervention group (11.9%) than the control group (2.6%). Significant (p<0.05) between-group differences were obtained for 8 of 10 health topics (6.1–20.2%) related to physical activity, nutrition, hygiene and well-being. The social dimension of the well-being questionnaire was significantly (p<0.05) improved in the intervention group compared to the control group, but there were no significant between-group effects for the physical, emotional and school dimensions. Positive reporting about the programme was given by 72.4% of the children and only 4.8% reported negatively.ConclusionsThe ‘FIFA 11 for Health’ programme modified for Europe demonstrated positive effects on children's health knowledge and social dimension of well-being, thereby providing evidence that the football-based health education programme can be used effectively within a European school's curriculum to increase physical activity, well-being and health knowledge.

‘FIFA 11 for Health’ for Europe. II: effect on health markers and physical fitness in Danish schoolchildren aged 10–12 years

“…Thus, the on-pitch education on health knowledge related to food and fluid intake and importance of high-intensity physical training as well as everyday life physical activities such as walking and cycling could have influenced the children's behaviour during the 11-week intervention period. However, further studies are needed to elucidate whether the increases in health knowledge observed following the 'FIFA 11 for Health' programme 7 have resulted in the desired behavioural changes towards better dietary habits and/or more physical activity.…”

“…7 The modifications to the physical activity content were based on research on the fitness and health effects of football conducted at the University of Copenhagen. This research has shown that 6-16-week interventions with two weekly 30-60 min sessions of small-sided football provide marked broad-spectrum fitness and health improvements for participants across the lifespan.…”

“…The effects of the programme on health knowledge and well-being are presented in an accompanying paper. 7 The purpose of the present investigation was to evaluate whether the modified 'FIFA 11 for Health' programme for NCDs had effects on body composition, blood pressure and physical fitness in Danish schoolchildren aged 10-12 years.…”

“FIFA 11 for Health” for Europe in the Faroe Islands: Effects on health markers and physical fitness in 10‐ to 12‐year‐old schoolchildren

“…1 The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) developed a program using football-based exercises to educate children about health, hygiene, and contamination, and to introduce regular physical activity in order for children to gain from the benefits of football practice. 1,17,18 In 2015, Denmark was the first country in Europe to implement the "FIFA 11 for Health" program. The program was modified to meet the health demands of the western world, with a primary focus on reducing the risk of developing NCDs.…”

“…The program was modified to meet the health demands of the western world, with a primary focus on reducing the risk of developing NCDs. 13,17 The modifications in the physical section of the program were based on studies of football-based exercises showing that 6-to 16-week interventions involving two weekly sessions, lasting 30-60 minutes, of football exercises and 3v3 games, improved the physical health of children and adults. [19][20][21] The modifications in the education section were focused on the themes of physical activity, nutrition, hygiene, and alcohol and tobacco consumption.…”