Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Effectiveness of a school‑based nutrition education program on waist circumference and dietary behavior among overweight adolescents in Puducherry, India

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Sumathy Ponnambalam
. Soundararajan Palanisamy 1
. Rajeswari Singaravelu 2
. Hemamalini Arambakkam Janardhanan 3

1 Department of Paediatrics, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth Deemed to be University, Puducherry, India

2 Department of OBG Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Deemed to be University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

3 Department of Clinical Nutrition, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Deemed to be University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract
BACKGROUND: The influence of western lifestyle such as high‑caloric dense food and sedentary
lifestyle has a great influence on Indian children, and the current prevalence of childhood overweight
in India ranges between 4% and 22%. The primary aim of the study was to determine the change
in growth parameters (waist circumference) as well as dietary behaviors at baseline and at the
end of first, third, sixth, and ninth months among overweight adolescent girls and boys following a
school‑based nutritional education program.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted in 2019 in four urban schools at Puducherry
which were randomly assigned to study and control groups by lottery method, and 140 overweight
children aged 11–14 years were in the study group and 140 children were in the control group.
Simple random sampling method was used to select the samples A nutrition education program
highlighting the importance of balanced nutrition and the ill effects of obesity was imparted to students
in the study group through a PowerPoint presentation. As a means of reinforcement, posters and
pamphlets were distributed. The waist circumference and the mean calorie, protein, and fat intake
were assessed at baseline and at the first, third, sixth, and ninth months and compared between
groups using independent t test.
RESULTS: There was a statistically significant reduction in waist circumference in the study group
when compared to the control group at P < 0.05. A significant decrease in the calorie intake at
P < 0.001 and fat intake at P < 0.01 was observed in the study group. The protein intake in the study
group increased at the end of 9 months, which was significant at P < 0.001.
CONCLUSION: School‑based nutritional education program has been found to be a successful
intervention in controlling unnecessary weight gain among overweight adolescents.

Keywords

Adolescents
dietary behavior
nutrition education
overweight
waist circumference 
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Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Volume 12, Issue 9
October 2022
Pages 1-5

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