Childhood obesity is a major issue for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Interventions modifying people's nutritional behavior and changing their dietary habits can potentially address this problem. This study assessed the effectiveness of the 6-month school-based nutritional educational intervention on fruit and vegetable intake, nutrition knowledge, anthropometric measures, and practice, attitude, and self-efficacy measures.
The problem of childhood obesity is a critical issue for the UAE. Findings of recent studies illustrate that nutritional interventions seeking to modify people's nutritional behavior and change their dietary habits have the potential to address this problem. This article reports the results of the study that was dedicated to the influence of the school-based nutritional educational intervention on fruit and vegetable intake, anthropometric measures, practice, attitude, self-efficacy, and knowledge scores of schoolchildren. The intervention was carried out among 9-13-year-old schoolchildren at public schools from Dubai and Sharjah (n=403). The sample included three groups, including the control group (n=114), Intervention Group 1 (n=148), and Intervention Group 2 (n=141). The control group was exposed to a conventional curriculum on healthy nutrition. Group 1 participated in the intervention involving children, and Group 2 participated in the intervention involving students, peers, and parents.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
403
Anthropometric measurements of the students, including weight, height, muscle mass, fat quantity, and waist circumference, were measured. The WHO BMI charts were utilized for classification. Stratified Random selection
The collection of data was performed using the "Atlas questionnaire" (Al-Hazzaa et al., 2011) and "nutrition knowledge and healthy lifestyle behavior" questionnaire (Kalender et al., 2011) with additional questions related to self-efficacy and dietary practices adapted from the literature (Becher, 2009; Voss et al., 2017; Kowalski et al., 2004). Stratified Random selection
The topics that covered included a healthy eating lifestyle, energy balance, food portion control, healthy snacking, the importance of physical activity and healthy eating, dietary practices, and nutrition-related self-efficacy.
United Arab Emarites University
Al Ain City, Ain, United Arab Emirates
Nutrition Knowledge and Self-Efficacy
\- Change in students' knowledge and self-efficacy scores from baseline values in overweight and obese UAE students aged 9-13 using a validated questionnaire(Arab Teens Lifestyle Questionnaire). The statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, and the IBM, USA computer software (version 29). Likert scales, were expressed as weighted mean ± SD. An independent t-test (parametric test) was used to analyze the effect of 2-level qualitative variables on quantitative variables, and one way ANOVA (parametric test) was used to analyze the effect of \>2-level qualitative variables on quantitative variables in each questionnaire section
Time frame: 6 months
Nutrition Knowledge and Self-Efficacy
\- Change in the percentage of children consuming at least five servings of fruits and vegetables and using a validated questionnaire(Arab Teens Lifestyle Questionnaire). The statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, and the IBM, USA computer software (version 29). Likert scales, were expressed as weighted mean ± SD. An independent t-test (parametric test) was used to analyze the effect of 2-level qualitative variables on quantitative variables, and one way ANOVA (parametric test) was used to analyze the effect of \>2-level qualitative variables on quantitative variables in each questionnaire section
Time frame: 6 months
Anthropometric Data
Change in body measurements(Weight in kilogram, BMI in kg/m\^2) The statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, and the IBM, USA computer software (version 29).The anthropometric measurements of the control and intervention groups were compared using ANOVA before and after the nutritional education intervention.
Time frame: 6 months
Anthropometric Data
Change in body measurements(waist circumference in cm) The statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, and the IBM, USA computer software (version 29).The anthropometric measurements of the control and intervention groups were compared using ANOVA before and after the nutritional education intervention.
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Time frame: 6 months
Anthropometric Data
Change in body measurements( Muscle Mass in kilogram) The statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, and the IBM, USA computer software (version 29).The anthropometric measurements of the control and intervention groups were compared using ANOVA before and after the nutritional education intervention.
Time frame: 6 months
Anthropometric Data
Change in body measurements( Body Fat percentage using using Tanita BC730W) The statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, and the IBM, USA computer software (version 29).The anthropometric measurements of the control and intervention groups were compared using ANOVA before and after the nutritional education intervention.
Time frame: 6 months