Effect of an intervention based on child-care centers to reduce risk behaviors for obesity in preschool children

AbstractBackgroundPreschool age is a critical stage for health promotion and prevention of obesity, which is an emerging public health problem in children. The aim of this study was to design and evaluate the effect of a multifaceted intervention based on child-care centers to reduce risk behaviors for obesity among preschool children.MethodsA 12-month cluster-randomized community trial was conducted in 16 Mexican Institute of Social Security child-care centers in Mexico City. Children between 2 and 4 years of age enrolled in the selected child-care centers participated in the study. Intervention comprised 12 weekly curriculum sessions for the children, and six family workshops. Changes in children’s dietary and physical activity, food availability at home, and maternal feeding styles were determined after 6 and 12 months. Changes within groups among stages, and between groups by stage were analyzed through X2 test.ResultsThe intervention showed a decrease of home availability for some non-recommended foods and an increase in physical activity in the intervention group compared to the control group.ConclusionsImprovement in physical activity can be effective in the long term; innovative strategies aimed to modify family dietary risk behaviors are required

Validación de materiales educativos de un curso en línea para promover el consumo de agua en adolescentes de nivel secundaria en México

Introduction: Validating health-education materials prevents the dissemination of erroneous messages and enhances the effectiveness of health-promotion initiatives. Objective: To describe the validation process for five educational materials pertaining to an online course on the promotion of water consumption among Mexican adolescents. Methodology: One group of 13-15 experts (technical validation) and another of 13-39 adolescents (population validation) reviewed three infographs and two videos using digital tools. Five criteria were established for the evaluation: appeal, clarity, identification, acceptance and inducement to action. A performance index was developed based on two categories: strong or weak compliance with each criterion. Successful compliance was determined when 70% or more of responses fell within the strong-compliance category. Results: Between 80% and 100% of the experts and adolescents rated all materials in the strong-compliance category for appeal, acceptance, clarity and inducement to action. For identification, however, the experts accorded the three infographs low scores, with similar results obtained from the adolescents for the three infographs and one video. Conclusions: Validation of the course materials allowed for identifying their strengths and weaknesses, as well as for ascertaining their usefulness in promoting water consumption among Mexican adolescents.Introducción: La validación de material educativo en salud podría evitar comunicar mensajes erróneos y mejorar su efectividad en promoción de la salud. Objetivo: Describir el proceso de validación de cinco materiales educativos de un curso en línea sobre promoción del consumo de agua entre adolescentes mexicanos. Metodología: Un grupo de 13-15 expertos (validación técnica) y un grupo de 13-39 adolescentes (validación poblacional) revisaron tres infografías y dos videos utilizando herramientas digitales según cinco criterios: atractivo, claridad, identificación, aceptación e inducción a la acción. Desarrollamos un índice de dos categorías: alto o bajo cumplimiento por criterio. Se determinó un cumplimiento exitoso cuando el 70% o más de las respuestas se concentraron en alto cumplimiento. Resultados: Entre el 80% y el 100% de los expertos y adolescentes calificaron todos los materiales con alto cumplimiento según atractivo, aceptación, claridad e inducción a la acción. El criterio de identificación según los expertos tuvo un bajo porcentaje de alto cumplimiento en las tres infografías. Se observaron resultados similares según los adolescentes para las tres infografías y un video. Conclusiones: La validación de los materiales permitió identificar sus fortalezas y áreas de mejora, y conocer su utilidad en promover el consumo de agua entre adolescentes mexicanos

Knowledge and level of understanding of the Chécate, Mídete, Muévete campaign in Mexican adults

Objective. To evaluate the knowledge and comprehension level of the Chécate, Mídete, Muévete campaign and its associ­ated characteristics in Mexican adult population. Materials and methods. Based on the Mexican Halfway National Health and Nutrition Survey 2016, we obtained information about the knowledge and comprehension of the logo and messages that support the Chécate, Mídete, Muévete campaign. To identify the associated characteristics, we proved logistic and linear regression models and the variable contrast ef­fects are shown. Results. 11% of the interviewed adults knew the Chécate, Mídete, Muévete campaign, 31% had a high comprehension of it and 1% did not comprehend it at all. The associated characteristics with knowledge were gender, scholarship, health service and overweight or obesity. Age, scholarship and socioeconomic status were associated to comprehension. Conclusion. These results provide new information about one of the Mexican efforts to control the overweight, obesity and diabetes epidemic

Efecto de una intervención basada en guarderías para reducir conductas de riesgo de obesidad en niños preescolares

Introducción: La edad preescolar es una etapa crítica para la promoción de la salud y la prevención de la obesidad, que es un problema emergente de salud pública en la niñez. El objetivo de este trabajo fue diseñar y evaluar el efecto de una intervención multifacética basada en la atención en guarderías para reducir conductas de riesgo de obesidad en niños preescolares. Métodos: Se realizó un ensayo comunitario, aleatorizado por conglomerados, en 16 guarderías del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social de la Ciudad de México. El estudio duró 12 meses. Participaron niños entre 2 y 4 años de edad que asistían a las guarderías. La intervención consistió en 12 sesiones educativas semanales interactivas para los niños y seis talleres familiares. Se determinaron cambios de alimentación y actividad física, disponibilidad en el hogar por tipo de alimentos y estilos maternos de alimentación a 6 y 12 meses. Se comparó el cambio por etapa en cada grupo y entre ambos grupos en cada etapa con la prueba χ2. Resultados: Se observó la reducción de disponibilidad en el hogar de algunos alimentos no recomendados y una mayor actividad física en el grupo de intervención. Conclusiones: La mejora en actividad física puede tener efecto en el largo plazo; se requieren estrategias innovadoras que modifiquen las conductas alimentarias de riesgo para obesidad en las familias

Perception of body weight and of the probability of developing obesity in Mexican adults

Objective. To document the perception of body weight, the variables that are associated with a correct perception of it and with the perception about the probability of developing obesity at short-term in Mexican adult population. Materials and methods. We used data from the Perception of obsesity, eating behavior and physical activity questionnaire (POCAA, by its Spanish acronym), as well as household and anthropometric measurements obtained at Ensanut MC during May and October of 2016. Results. More than 90% of the population tend to underestimate their weight; 32% of the population said that they would be very likely to develop obesity at short-term; more than 90% considered that suffering from obesity is very serious. Having a correct perception of body weight and being overweight or obese by BMI, were positively related to the perception of developing obesity at short-term. Conclusion. It is very relevant that individuals, regardless of the state of their weight, have an accurate per- ception of their body and the consequences to their health

Does the Mexican sugar-sweetened beverage tax have a signaling effect? ENSANUT 2016

Objective: To evaluate the potential signaling effect of the Mexican tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) by analyzing the association between awareness of and opinions about its effectiveness with current consumption of taxed SSBs and with a self-reported change in consumption of SSBs since the implementation of the tax. We also examined the association between psychosocial and environmental determinants of SSB consumption with current consumption of taxed SSBs and with a reported change in consumption of SSBs. Methods: Cross-sectional analyses of survey and food-frequency questionnaire data from the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey 2016. Participants were Mexican adults (20–59 years, N = 6,650). Logistic regression was used to evaluate the probability of a person reporting a decrease in SSB consumption, given their awareness of the tax, opinion about its effectiveness, psychosocial (SSB health-related beliefs, self-efficacy, and liking of SSBs) and environmental (availability of potable water) determinants. Multiple linear regression analysis was utilized to examine the association between the aforementioned factors and current consumption of taxed SSBs. Results: Compared with adults not aware, adults who were aware of the SSB tax were more likely (OR = 1.30) to report a decrease in SSB consumption (p = .012). In urban areas, adults aware of the tax drank a significantly lower amount of taxed SSBs (-15.7%; p = .023) than those not aware. Self-efficacy and liking of SSBs were significantly associated with a reported decrease in consumption and with current consumption (p \u3c .001), while health beliefs and availability of potable water were not significantly associated with either reported change in SSB consumption or current consumption of taxed SSBs. Conclusions: Implementation of an SSB tax accompanied by highly visible campaigns may further influence the impact of taxes on SSBs consumption. Future public health and nutrition education campaigns designed to increase knowledge and enhance motivation should be complemented by programs to assist individuals develop self-efficacy and self-regulation skills