Effect of a School-Based Intervention on Nutritional Knowledge and Habits of Low-Socioeconomic School Children in Israel: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.
Early social and economic deprivation, associated with poor nutrition and physical inactivity, may lead to adverse health trajectories. A cluster-randomized controlled-trial examining the effect of a school-based comprehensive intervention on nutrition knowledge, eating habits, and behaviors among low socioeconomic status (LSES) school-aged children was performed. LSES school-aged children (4-7 years) and their mothers were recruited from 11 schools, located in one town. The intervention was implemented on three levels: children, mothers, and teachers. The intervention (IArm) included nutrition classes for children, mothers, and teachers and physical activity (PA) classes for children; the control (CArm) received PA only. Interventions were conducted by professional personnel, who were trained during in a two-day session to deliver the specific program in schools. Family data were obtained by parental interviews. Food knowledge observations, packed lunch records, and anthropometric measurements were obtained in school at baseline, six months, and at the end of the school year. Of 258 children enrolled, 220 (87.6%) completed the six-month program. Only children in the IArm improved their nutrition knowledge and eating-habits and increased food variety and fruit and vegetable consumption, quality score of packed lunches (p < 0.001 for all), habitual water drinking increased (p = 0.02), and decreased sweet-drink consumption (p = 0.05). A school-based comprehensive nutrition intervention targeting LSES population improved eating habits, nutritional knowledge, and healthier packed lunches.
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, POB 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel. veredk@ekmd.huji.ac.il.|Braun School of Public Health , and Community Medicine, the Hebrew University Hadassah, Jerusalem 91120, Israel. veredk@ekmd.huji.ac.il.|Centre for Research on Inner City Health, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8, Canada. veredk@ekmd.huji.ac.il.
Vered
V
Kaufman-Shriqui
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, POB 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel. fdrora@bgu.ac.il.
Drora
D
Fraser
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, POB 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel. friger@bgu.ac.il.
Michael
M
Friger
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, POB 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel. diklah@integristat.com.
Dikla
D
Geva
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, POB 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel. natalya@bgu.ac.il.
Natalya
N
Bilenko
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, POB 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel. hilel@bgu.ac.il.
Hillel
H
Vardi
Ashalim: The Association for Planning &amp; Development of Services for Children and Youth at Risk and Their Families, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, POB 3489, Jerusalem 91034, Israel. namanat@gmail.com.
Naama
N
Elhadad
Ashalim: The Association for Planning &amp; Development of Services for Children and Youth at Risk and Their Families, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, POB 3489, Jerusalem 91034, Israel. karenm@jdc.org.il.
Karen
K
Mor
Ashalim: The Association for Planning &amp; Development of Services for Children and Youth at Risk and Their Families, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, POB 3489, Jerusalem 91034, Israel. zvif@jdc.org.il.
Zvi
Z
Feine
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, POB 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel. dshahar@bgu.ac.il.
Danit R
DR
Shahar
D002648:Child; D053198:Child Nutrition Sciences; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004032:Diet; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012572:School Health Services; D012574:Schools; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
childhood obesity; health promotion; low socioeconomic; nutrition; pediatric nutrition; preschool children; school-based intervention