Process evaluation of a community-based adolescent obesity prevention project in Tonga

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The rising burden of obesity in Tonga is alarming. The promotion of healthy behaviours and environments requires immediate urgent action and a multi-sectoral approach. A three-year community based study titled the Ma'alahi Youth Project (MYP) conducted in Tonga from 2005-2008 aimed to increase the capacity of the whole community (schools, churches, parents and adolescents) to promote healthy eating and regular physical activity and to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity amongst youth and their families. This paper reflects on the process evaluation for MYP, against a set of Best Practice Principles for community-based obesity prevention.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>MYP was managed by the Fiji School of Medicine. A team of five staff in Tonga were committed to planning, implementation and evaluation of a strategic plan, the key planks of which were developed during a two day community workshop. Intervention activities were delivered in villages, churches and schools, on the main island of Tongatapu. Process evaluation data covering the resource utilisation associated with all intervention activities were collected, and analysed by dose, frequency and reach for specific strategies. The action plan included three standard objectives around capacity building, social marketing and evaluation; four nutrition; two physical activity objectives; and one around championing key people as role models.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>While the interventions included a wide mix of activities straddling across all of these objectives and in both school and village settings, there was a major focus on the social marketing and physical activity objectives. The intervention reach, frequency and dose varied widely across all activities, and showed no consistent patterns.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The adolescent obesity interventions implemented as part of the MYP program comprised a wide range of activities conducted in multiple settings, touched a broad spectrum of the population (wider than the target group), but the dose and frequency of activities were generally insufficient and not sustained. Also the project confirmed that, while the MYP resulted in increased community awareness of healthy behaviours, Tonga is still in its infancy in terms of conducting public health research and lacks research infrastructure and capacity.</p

Associations of body mass index and waist circumference with: energy intake and percentage energy from macronutrients, in a cohort of australian children

Background: It is evident from previous research that the role of dietary composition in relation to the development of childhood obesity remains inconclusive. Several studies investigating the relationship between body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and/or skin fold measurements with energy intake have suggested that the macronutrient composition of the diet (protein, carbohydrate, fat) may play an important contributing role to obesity in childhood as it does in adults. This study investigated the possible relationship between BMI and WC with energy intake and percentage energy intake from macronutrients in Australian children and adolescents

Estado nutricional de crianças assistidas em creches e situação de (in)segurança alimentar de suas famílias Nutritional status of children attended in day-care-centers and food (in)security of their families

Examinar fatores associados a excesso de peso, déficit de estatura e déficit de peso em crianças assistidas em creches estaduais de João Pessoa e descrever a situação de (in)segurança alimentar das suas famílias. Trata-se de um estudo transversal com amostra de 250 crianças. Foram estudadas variáveis socioeconômicas, maternas e das crianças. O estado nutricional das crianças foi avaliado considerando os índices estatura-para-idade e peso-para-estatura. A segurança alimentar familiar foi avaliada com a utilização da Escala Brasileira de Insegurança Alimentar. As proporções de déficit de estatura, déficit de peso e excesso de peso foram 7,6%, 1,6% e 6,4%, respectivamente. Os fatores associados à baixa estatura foram baixa estatura materna e esquema vacinal incompleto. Com relação ao baixo peso, o fator associado foi idade materna inferior a 20 anos. O excesso de peso infantil apresentou associação com o excesso de peso materno e baixa estatura materna. Em 59,6% das famílias, observou-se situação de insegurança alimentar e nutricional, sendo mais frequente a forma leve (32,4%). Excesso de peso e déficit de estatura foram os distúrbios nutricionais mais frequentes neste estudo, constituindo prioridades que devem ser consideradas nas políticas públicas atuais.<br>The scope of this study was to examine associated factors with overweight, stunting and underweight in children attending state day care centers of João Pessoa, as well as to describe the situation of food (in)security of their families. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 250 children. Socioeconomic, maternal and child variables were studied. The nutritional status of children was evaluated considering the height-for-age and weight-for-height indices. Household food security was assessed using the Brazilian Scale of Food Insecurity. The proportions of stunting, underweight and overweight were 7.6%, 1.6% and 6.4% respectively. The associated factors with short stature were low maternal stature and incomplete vaccination. In relation to low weight, the associated factor was maternal age under 20 years. The overweight child was associated with excessive maternal weight and maternal short stature. In 59.6% of families, there was food and nutrition insecurity, the mild form being more frequent (32.4%). Overweight and stunting were found to be the most common nutritional disorders in this study, constituting priorities that should be considered in current public policies

Lifestyle Triple P: a parenting intervention for childhood obesity

Background: Reversing the obesity epidemic requires the development and evaluation of childhood obesity intervention programs. Lifestyle Triple P is a parent-focused group program that addresses three topics: nutrition, physical activity, and positive parenting. Australian research has established the efficacy of Lifestyle Triple P, which aims to prevent excessive weight gain in overweight and obese children. The aim of the current randomized controlled trial is to assess the effectiveness of the Lifestyle Triple P intervention when applied to Dutch parents of overweight and obese children aged 4-8 years. This effectiveness study is called GO4fit