Abstract
Schools have the potential to make valuable contributions to both the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity. This article reviews the research on school-based interventions to prevent and treat obesity. A literature search from 1965 to the present on school-based treatment of obesity, identified 11 controlled experimental studies. The results show positive, though modest short-term results. Relatively few primary prevention research studies, targeted specifically to preventing obesity, have been conducted. Therefore, efficacy has not been established. Both primary and secondary obesity interventions have a role in schools. A comprehensive, integrated model for school-based obesity prevention is presented. This model, building upon the comprehensive school health program model, consists of eight interacting components: health instruction; health services; school environment; food service; school-site health promotion for faculty and staff; social support services; physical education classes; and integrated and linked family and community health promotion efforts. While multi-faceted community-wide efforts are needed to address the growing problem of obesity, schools are in a unique position to play a pivotal role in promoting healthy lifestyles and helping to prevent obesity.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | S43-S51 |
| Journal | International Journal of Obesity |
| Volume | 23 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 1 1999 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:An ongoing study, called Pathways,29–31 funded by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, is expected to demonstrate the efficacy of school-based primary prevention of obesity. Pathways is a multicenter school-based intervention, aimed at reducing the alarming increase in the prevalence of obesity in American Indian children. It is designed as a randomized trial, involving about 2000 third grade children in 41 schools (21 intervention schools and 20 control schools) in seven different American Indian communities. Pathways is an eight-year, two-phase study. The three-year feasibility phase was to plan, develop, pilot test and assess the feasibility of conducting the full-scale study. The full-scale study phase began in 1996 and will be completed in 2001. The primary objective of the Pathways intervention is to implement a culturally appropriate school-based intervention program, that promotes healthy eating and increases physical activity to prevent obesity. It consists of four components: physical activity, food service, classroom curriculum and family involvement. The three-year intervention (3rd, 4th and 5th grades) began for 3rd grade children in the Fall of 1997, following baseline data collection. The primary aim is to reduce average percent body fat in intervention school children. Secondary outcomes include physical activity, dietary intake and knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour. The results of this study should answer a number of questions about the effectiveness of school-based, obesity primary prevention programs.
Keywords
- Adolescents
- Besity
- Children
- Prevention
- Schools
