SBAM! A programme to make healthy children in region of Puglia.

Abstract

In the region of Puglia in 2010 the rate of childhood overweight was 26% and that of obesity 14%. Prevention of childhood obesity, through its risk factors modification, is a public health aim of the regional government. During the last years several initiatives have been taken to promote healthy nutrition and increasing of physical activity. However, the huge number of activities promoted by health, political institutions, NGOs, etc. highlighted the limits of the lack of coordination among the main stakeholders, as well limited the impact and the comparison of the outcomes of the different programmes. To create a unique preventive programme 5 regional departments (Health, Sport, Agriculture, Education, and Urbanization) unified their financial, human, and strategic resources to promote healthy lifestyle. In addition, a memorandum of understanding was established between the regional health department and the Regional Education Office to develop shared high quality initiatives to promote health education in schools. From this alliance was developed the programme “SBAM!”, composed by different actions financed by the different departments, but all together pieces of only one programme. The programme involved 19,000 children 8 years old attending the 3rd class of the primary school. Sport dept. financed 1 more hour of physical education per week; agriculture dept. financed 1 laboratory of horticulture and 1 explanatory meeting with parents; health dept. financed 1 meeting with parents and 1 with teachers, as well as meetings with children during the school hours; education dept. paid all the booklets; urbanization dept. financed children’s ideas to improve the city’s urban design.