Abstract
ABSTRACT Objective To determine the sustainability of food quality in an obesity-prevention strategy for adolescent girls. Methods The study is a randomized controlled trial with 253 girls (Mean=15.61, 95% Confidence Interval 15.51-15.72) enrolled in 10 vocational schools in São Paulo. The diet intake was determined using a “Food Frequency Questionnaire” and analyzed according to the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index-Revised adequacy, moderation, and overall scores. The adolescents’ dietary intake was compared to the baseline 6 months and 12 months post-intervention. Descriptive statistics and analyses of covariance were used, considering a 5% significance level. Results Significant increases were found on the components total fruits (F=6.98, p<0.01), total vegetables (F=5.76, p=0.02), beans (F=5.96, p=0.02), and whole cereals (F=12.35, p<0.001). However, there was also a significant decrease on the scores for milk and dairy (F=6.48, p=0.02), and oils (F=5.98, p=0.02). At 12-month post intervention, improvement on the overall score was found (F=3.89, p=0.05), but there was a decrease on the component whole cereals (F=11.85, p<0.001), as well as in milk and dairies (F=6.38, p=0.02). Despite no significant effect for the SoFAAS component, a moderate effect size was revealed (d=0.56). Conclusion There were significant effects on some diet quality components and for the overall scores at 6-month and 12-month post intervention. Therefore, sustainable dietary changes should be the focus of obesity prevention programs for adolescents. Socio-economic influences on diet behaviors would also need to be acknowledged.
Highlights
Behavioral school-based obesity prevention programs can intervene in energy balance behaviors to promote a healthy weight status by harmonizing diet and physical activity in adolescents between 10 and 19 years old [1,2]
Sustainable dietary changes should be the focus of obesity prevention programs for adolescents
All 10 schools were retained in the study over the 12-month period, but 109 girls were not available for the follow-up assessments; 89 (62.7%) and 55 (49.5%) girls were retained in the intervention and control groups, respectively
Summary
Behavioral school-based obesity prevention programs can intervene in energy balance behaviors to promote a healthy weight status by harmonizing diet and physical activity in adolescents between 10 and 19 years old [1,2]. Weight loss outcomes lasting for up to 2 years have been reported for adolescents who engaged in school-based behavioral obesity programs [4] It is uncertain whether their diet quality is improving (which is the implicit goal of obesity prevention) or if adolescents are eating less, but having the same qualities of diet as they did prior to the programs [5]. This trend is common in high-income countries, and in low- and middle-income countries, including Brazil [6,7]. Analysis of daily nutrients or food intake have traditionally been studied in nutritional research, but adolescents do not consume these nutrients/foods separately; rather, food is eaten
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
