Effectiveness of Educational Interventions to Improve Knowledge Related To Obesity among School Going Adolescents in Selected Schools of Eastern India

Arijit  Kundu; Lipilekha  Patnaik; Trilochan  Sahu

doi:10.5455/njcm.20210820104433

Authors

Arijit Kundu Department of Community Medicine, Shri Ramkrishna Institute of Medical Sciences, Durgapur
Lipilekha Patnaik Department of Community Medicine, IMS & SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar
Trilochan Sahu Department of Community Medicine, IMS & SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5455/njcm.20210820104433

Keywords:

Overweight, Pediatric obesity, Awareness, Teens, School children

Abstract

Background: To address the overweight and obesity problems among children and adolescents, interventions in school is an important strategy.

Objective: To find out the changes in knowledge following educational interventions related to obesity among school going adolescents.

Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted among adolescent students of two private schools from June 2016 to August 2018. A total of 173 students were included, 86 from control school and 87 from intervention school. A pre-designed & pre-tested questionnaire was used for data collection which included ORK-10 (Obesity Risk Knowledge questionnaire). An integrated educational package was prepared and used for intervention school. After one year, data were collected to assess the changes in knowledge related to obesity.

Results: At baseline, mean score of ORK-10 of all students were 5.05 ± 1.60 (Intervention school= 4.93 ± 1.73, control school= 5.16 ± 1.46). Significance increase was observed in the total score in the students of intervention school (p=0.000) during follow up. A significant improvement was seen in knowledge regarding factors related to obesity among the students of intervention school.

Conclusion: Cost effective, simple school based intervention programs are needed as routine school activity to encourage the adolescents for reduction of obesity and related morbidities.

References

Shear CL, Freedman DS, Burke GL, Harsha DW, Webber LS, Berenson GS. Secular trends of obesity in early life: The Bogalusa Heart Study. Am J Public Health. 1988;78:75- 7.

Bundred P, Kitchiner D, Buchan I. Prevalence of overweight and obese children between 1989 and 1998: population based series of cross sectional studies. Br Med J. 2001; 322:326-8.

Ogden CL, Flegal KM, Carroll MD, Johnson CL. Prevalence and trends in overweight among US children and adolescents, 1999– 2000. 2002; JAMA,288:1728-32.

Power C, Lake JK, Cole TJ. Measurement and long-term health risks of child and adolescent fatness. Int J Obes Relat MetabDisord. 1997; 21:507-26.

Ho M, Garnett SP, Baur L, Burrows T, Stewart L, Neve M, et al. Effectiveness of Lifestyle Interventions in Child Obesity: Systematic Review With Meta-analysis. Pediatrics. 2012; 130(6):e1647–71.

Swift JA, Glazebrook C, Macdonald I. Validation of a brief, reliable scale to measure knowledge about the health risks associated with obesity. Int J Obes. 2006;30(4):661–8.

Pradhan MR, Dwivedi LK, Bansod DW, Arnold F. National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4). 2017.

Njelekela MA, Muhihi A, Mpembeni RNM, Anaeli A, Chillo O, Kubhoja S, et al. Knowledge and attitudes towards obesity among primary school children in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Niger Med J [Internet]. 2015;56(2):103–8.

Triches RM, Giugliani ERJ. Obesity, eating habits and nutritional knowledge among school children. Rev SaudePublica. 2005;39(4):541–7.

Alasmari HD, Al-shehri AD, Aljuaid TA. Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Obesity Awareness in School Students. 2017;9(April 2014):520–4.

Education P. Obesity-related knowledge and beliefs in obese adults attending a specialist weight-management service: Implications for weight loss over 1 year. 2018;1–2.

Ocampo-Mascaró J, Silva-Salazar V, da Costa-Bullón AD. Correlation between knowledge about the consequences of obesity and physical activity levels among university students. 2015;15(11).

Bayne-Smith M, Fardy PS, Azzollini A, Magel J, Schmitz KH, Agin D. Improvements in heart health behaviors and reduction in coronary artery disease risk factors in urban teenaged girls through a school-based intervention: The PATH program. Am J Public Health. 2004;94(9):1538–43.