School Program to Promote Healthy Lifestyles in Children
Author Information
Author(s): Trish Gorely, Mary E Nevill, John G Morris, David J Stensel, Alan Nevill
Primary Institution: Loughborough University
Hypothesis
Can a school-based intervention improve physical activity and healthy eating among children aged 7-11?
Conclusion
The intervention led to increased physical activity levels and improved body composition, but did not significantly affect fruit and vegetable consumption.
Supporting Evidence
- Children in intervention schools increased their moderate-to-vigorous physical activity by 9 minutes per day.
- Intervention participants took an average of 1631 more steps per day than control participants by the end of the study.
- Older children in intervention schools showed a slower increase in body fat compared to control children.
Takeaway
This study shows that schools can help kids be more active and healthier, but we still need to work on getting them to eat more fruits and vegetables.
Methodology
A non-randomised controlled study with 8 primary schools (4 intervention, 4 control) over 10 months, measuring physical activity and dietary intake.
Potential Biases
Differences in socioeconomic status between intervention and control groups may introduce bias.
Limitations
The study was not randomized due to local media constraints, and dietary assessment methods may not have been sensitive enough.
Participant Demographics
Participants were 589 children aged 7-11, predominantly white British, with varying socioeconomic backgrounds.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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