title: An intervention to promote physical activity in Mexican elementary school students: building public policy to prevent noncommunicable diseases.
abstract: Physical activity is an important component of strategies for health promotion and prevention of noncommunicable diseases. It is also associated with decreased risk for cardiovascular disease in overweight and obese adults and children. This article addresses the initial description of a physical activity intervention for children attending public elementary schools in Mexico. The objective was to develop a replicable model based on a strategic public, private, academic, and social partnership that would have a short-term impact on the metabolic health of children and be useful for building effective public policy. Forty-nine schools (20 000 students) participated, and 5 schools were selected for evaluation. The intervention included a 30-minute supervised middle-effort interchangeable routine, 5 days a week for a complete school year, adapted for different school conditions and students of different ages. Evaluation included anthropometric measurements and biochemical markers. Actual prevalence of combined overweight and obesity in these children was 31.9%. The intervention was successfully implemented in all schools. No change in body mass index, waist circumference, or other anthropometric indicators was found. However, changes in biochemical markers showed a significant decrease in blood glucose, total cholesterol, and cholesterol-low-density lipoproteins, reflecting a positive effect on cardiovascular health indicators.
authors.affiliation: E. Polo-Oteyza is with the Fondo Nestlé para la Nutrición, Fundación Mexicana para la Salud, Mexico City, Mexico. M. Ancira-Moreno, C. Rosel-Pech, and F. Vadillo-Ortega are with the Unidad de Vinculación de la Facultad de Medicina, UNAM en el Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Mexico City, Mexico. M. Teresa Sánchez-Mendoza is with the Subdirección Regional de Educación Básica Metepec, Secretaría de Educación, Gobierno del Estado de Mexico, Metepec, Mexico. V. Salinas-Martínez is with the Hospital Materno Perinatal Mónica Pretelini, Toluca, Estado de Mexico, Mexico.
authors.forename: Ernestina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Polo-Oteyza
authors.affiliation: E. Polo-Oteyza is with the Fondo Nestlé para la Nutrición, Fundación Mexicana para la Salud, Mexico City, Mexico. M. Ancira-Moreno, C. Rosel-Pech, and F. Vadillo-Ortega are with the Unidad de Vinculación de la Facultad de Medicina, UNAM en el Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Mexico City, Mexico. M. Teresa Sánchez-Mendoza is with the Subdirección Regional de Educación Básica Metepec, Secretaría de Educación, Gobierno del Estado de Mexico, Metepec, Mexico. V. Salinas-Martínez is with the Hospital Materno Perinatal Mónica Pretelini, Toluca, Estado de Mexico, Mexico.
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ancira-Moreno
authors.affiliation: E. Polo-Oteyza is with the Fondo Nestlé para la Nutrición, Fundación Mexicana para la Salud, Mexico City, Mexico. M. Ancira-Moreno, C. Rosel-Pech, and F. Vadillo-Ortega are with the Unidad de Vinculación de la Facultad de Medicina, UNAM en el Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Mexico City, Mexico. M. Teresa Sánchez-Mendoza is with the Subdirección Regional de Educación Básica Metepec, Secretaría de Educación, Gobierno del Estado de Mexico, Metepec, Mexico. V. Salinas-Martínez is with the Hospital Materno Perinatal Mónica Pretelini, Toluca, Estado de Mexico, Mexico.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rosel-Pech
authors.affiliation: E. Polo-Oteyza is with the Fondo Nestlé para la Nutrición, Fundación Mexicana para la Salud, Mexico City, Mexico. M. Ancira-Moreno, C. Rosel-Pech, and F. Vadillo-Ortega are with the Unidad de Vinculación de la Facultad de Medicina, UNAM en el Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Mexico City, Mexico. M. Teresa Sánchez-Mendoza is with the Subdirección Regional de Educación Básica Metepec, Secretaría de Educación, Gobierno del Estado de Mexico, Metepec, Mexico. V. Salinas-Martínez is with the Hospital Materno Perinatal Mónica Pretelini, Toluca, Estado de Mexico, Mexico.
authors.forename: María Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Mendoza
authors.affiliation: E. Polo-Oteyza is with the Fondo Nestlé para la Nutrición, Fundación Mexicana para la Salud, Mexico City, Mexico. M. Ancira-Moreno, C. Rosel-Pech, and F. Vadillo-Ortega are with the Unidad de Vinculación de la Facultad de Medicina, UNAM en el Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Mexico City, Mexico. M. Teresa Sánchez-Mendoza is with the Subdirección Regional de Educación Básica Metepec, Secretaría de Educación, Gobierno del Estado de Mexico, Metepec, Mexico. V. Salinas-Martínez is with the Hospital Materno Perinatal Mónica Pretelini, Toluca, Estado de Mexico, Mexico.
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Salinas-Martínez
authors.affiliation: E. Polo-Oteyza is with the Fondo Nestlé para la Nutrición, Fundación Mexicana para la Salud, Mexico City, Mexico. M. Ancira-Moreno, C. Rosel-Pech, and F. Vadillo-Ortega are with the Unidad de Vinculación de la Facultad de Medicina, UNAM en el Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Mexico City, Mexico. M. Teresa Sánchez-Mendoza is with the Subdirección Regional de Educación Básica Metepec, Secretaría de Educación, Gobierno del Estado de Mexico, Metepec, Mexico. V. Salinas-Martínez is with the Hospital Materno Perinatal Mónica Pretelini, Toluca, Estado de Mexico, Mexico. fvadillo@inmegen.gob.mx.
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vadillo-Ortega
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015444:Exercise; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D011640:Public Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055105:Waist Circumference
keywords: childhood obesity; physical activity; school-based interventions