Develop a Participatory Model in Nutrition Education to Prevent Childhood Obesity

Louisa Ming Yan Chung,Joanne Wai Yee Chung

doi:10.4236/health.2015.74055

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the effect of nutrition education and the engagement of students, parents and teachers in addressing school-specific environmental influences in eating problem. Design: This study adopted the action research process of diagnosing, action planning, taking action, evaluating, and specifying learning. Each of obese and non-obese male and female students was randomly selected based on physical screening based on obesity criteria. Dietary intake records were taken over seven days as the pre-intervention period. These four students, one of each of their parents and the teacher from the primary school, were given 3 sessions of nutrition education. After the nutrition education, dietary intake records were taken over the subsequent 7 days as the post-intervention period. Lunch observation and lunch menu review were included to identify eating problem of primary school children in school level. Findings: Students were found to consume less whole grains and more food items belonged to the “limited” and “strongly discouraged” as set in government lunch guidelines. Students’ dietary intakes before and after the nutrition education were found improved in their energy intake (p = 0.012), total fat, saturated fat, calcium, sodium, and cholesterol. Conclusion: A participatory model in elementary nutrition education could be effective.

Highlights

The rates of obesity have escalated sharply in both developed and developing countries in the last two decadesHow to cite this paper: Chung, L.M.Y. and Chung, J.W.Y. (2015) Develop a Participatory Model in Nutrition Education to Prevent Childhood Obesity
In Hong Kong, the childhood obesity is referred to specific weight by age and sex higher than 120% of the median weight for height
As reported by the Hong Kong Government, 17% of surveyed children under age 5 were overweight in 2010 [8] and the childhood obesity was reasonable to be projected to 25% by 2013 [9]

Summary

Introduction

The rates of obesity have escalated sharply in both developed and developing countries in the last two decadesHow to cite this paper: Chung, L.M.Y. and Chung, J.W.Y. (2015) Develop a Participatory Model in Nutrition Education to Prevent Childhood Obesity. Chung [1] [2]; the prevention of childhood obesity is a global priority. The definition of obesity varies with the diagnostic criteria to be adopted in children. In Hong Kong, the childhood obesity is referred to specific weight by age and sex higher than 120% of the median weight for height. In 1997/1998, the rate of obesity among primary school children was 16.4% and it increased to 18.7% in 2004/2005 and further to 20.2% in 2006/2007 [7]. As reported by the Hong Kong Government, 17% of surveyed children under age 5 were overweight in 2010 [8] and the childhood obesity was reasonable to be projected to 25% by 2013 [9]

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Results

Conclusion