The Impact of A Short-Term Intervention on Adolescent Eating Habits, Physical Activity and Nutritional Knowledge

Background and Objectives: Adequate dietary habits and physical activity during childhood and adolescence may promote growth and cognitive development and contribute to the prevention of chronic disease in later life. In addition, school is considered an important social environment that can promote healthy eating habits and life-style changes. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of a school-based intervention on the nutritional knowledge, eating habits and physical activity of adolescents.

Methods & study design: A prospective questionnaire-based study. Anonymous questionnaires were administered at the beginning of the academic year (September 2014) in one high school. During the following year, vending machines containing milk products were installed within the school facility, and students were given 2 informative nutrition lectures regarding proper nutrition for age, calcium requirement and importance, and physical activity. In addition, one active sport-day was performed. At the beginning of the following academic year (September 2015), the students fulfilled the same questionnaires again.

Results: 330 teenagers, mean age 15.1 ± 1.39 years, 53% males, were included. Response rate was 83.6%±0.4% to multiple-choice questions, 60.7%±0.5% to multiple section tables, and 80.3%±0.9% to open questions. Post-intervention, respondents reported an increase in eating breakfast (57% versus 47.5%, p=0.02) and a decrease in purchasing food at school (61.6% versus 54.3%, p=0.03). No changes were observed in consumption of milk products, knowledge regarding calcium and vegetable consumption, or sport activities.

Conclusion: Short–term high school-based intervention may lead to improvement in eating habits but is not sufficient for changing nutritional knowledge and physical activity.