The impact of a school health promotion program on adiposity and weight, fitness and nutrition habits, and fitness and nutrition knowledge
Date
1986
Authors
Casey, Anthony P.
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Abstract
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of a school health promotion program on three dependent variables: (a) students' adiposity and weight, (b) students' fitness habits and nutrition habits and (c) students' fitness knowledge and nutrition knowledge. The program was comprised of three instructional components for grade 6 students from nine treatment schools: (a) an in-class module for overweight and non-overweight students, (b) a night school module for overweight students and (c) a night school module for parents of the overweight students. The three dependent variables were measured by the 0-Scale System, Habit Inventory and Knowledge Test respectively on three testing occasions.
Analyses of covariance and analyses of variance followed by Scheffe's post-hoc procedure revealed that: (a) The program activities had no statistically significant impact on decreasing students' adiposity and weight scores, although positive trends suggesting program impact did appear; and (b) The program activities had a statistically significant impact on improving students' fitness habits and nutrition habits, and on fitness knowledge and nutrition knowledge for selected sex combinations and at specific testing occasions.
The _findings of the study suggest that a short-term school health promotion program had a short-term impact for both overweight and non-overweight students. Achieving statistically significant reductions in adiposity and weight is difficult, particularly over the course of a limited duration program. Statistically significant improvements in knowledge and habits pertaining to fitness and nutrition can be achieved through an eight-week program. Maintenance of these changes likely requires on-going follow-up sessions.