Could Better Classroom Interventions Curb Childhood Obesity?

[Guest guest]

As childhood obesity rates soar, initiatives in the classroom aimed at

teaching nutrition and physical activity, like the First Lady’s “Let’s

Move<http://www.letsmove.gov/>”

campaign, become more prevalent. But are they working?

A new study of 26 school-based nutrition interventions in the United States

and found while many of these programs are on the right track, there are

some crucial pieces missing.

Investigators performed a content analysis of Kindergarten-through-12th

grade school-based nutrition interventions which fit into the study's ten

components proposed for developing future effective school-based nutrition

interventions.

Findings from this study reveal that classroom nutrition education (85%)

followed by parental involvement at home (62%) were the two intervention

components used most often.

Less frequent components included establishment of foodservice guidelines

(15%), community involvement (15%), inclusion of ethnic/cultural groups

(15%), inclusion of incentives for schools (12%), and involvement of parents

at school (8%).

This study documents that although many components of nutrition education

have been successfully included in our children's school-based

interventions, there are still some missing links.

" Schools continue to be an important location for childhood obesity

prevention interventions. However, it is imperative that school-based

interventions be developed and implemented to achieve maximum results,” said

lead author Dr. Roseman, who conducted this work while at the

University of Kentucky and The University of Mississippi.

Limited research

According to Roseman, a periodic review of research on school-based

nutrition interventions provides the opportunity to examine previous

research and identify successful strategies and tactics for future studies

that will lead to improved health outcomes in children.

Currently, there is limited research about the effectiveness of nutrition

education interventions.

Roseman, along with co-authors Dr. Martha Riddell, Registered Dietitian and

Professor of Public Health at University of Kentucky, and Niblock,

Registered Dietitian with the Cincinnati Health

Department<http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/health/pages/-5092-/>feel this

is an area of research that has to be investigated to ensure

children are educated on how to be healthy, productive adults.

" With increased awareness, urgency, and funding to support nutrition

interventions and research focusing on reversing the rising trend of

overweight and obese children in the US, synthesizing findings from previous

studies to inform research and program development, and identifying

potentially high-impact strategies and tactics are warranted,” write the

authors.

The researchers think the article emphasizes the importance of providing

funding support so more researchers can access the effectiveness of

nutrition education in the classroom, along with other links like

cafeterias, homes, and communities.

The study appears in the January/February 2011 issue (not online yet) of the

*Journal of Nutrition Education*.

<http://www.sne.org/jneb.htm>

--

Ortiz, MS, RD

*The FRUGAL Dietitian* <http://www.thefrugaldietitian.com>

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