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Differences in Food Intake, Nutrition Knowledge and Fitness Assessment Measurements in High School Students Who Have Completed the Nutricise 4 Life Program and Students Who Have Not
Author(s) -
Mistry Anahita M,
Blake Malorie
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.25.1_supplement.781.27
Schools are a logical setting to provide education to prevent and curb obesity. The Nutricise 4 Life Program (N4L) is a school‐based physical activity and nutrition education program for adolescents. It was hypothesized that dietary intake, nutrition knowledge, fitness assessment measurements and motivation/confidence to make healthier lifestyle choices would be improved in students participating in the N4L group compared to a control group. Students in 10th to 12th grades from two high schools in Pennsylvania participated. This quasi‐experimental trial collected data over nineteen weeks to assess program impact on dietary intake, nutrition knowledge, fitness assessment measurements and motivation/confidence levels. Students in the N4L group did not improve their dietary intake. Reports on daily food intake were highly variable and may not have been an accurate reflection of actual intake. Students in the intervention group however, demonstrated significant increases in nutrition knowledge. Likewise, body fat percentage was decreased in the intervention group. Participants also perceived a positive program impact on their physical activity and eating patterns. School based nutrition education programs may be a useful way to prevent childhood obesity.