Short Term Effects of School-Based Obesity Control Programs Performed on Elementary Students

No, Youn Hee; Lee, Seon Yeong; Kang, Jae Heon

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity leads to a high possibility of adult obesity. Previous studies show cases of research on obesity control programs led by doctors specializing in obesity, and dietitians. However, no such research have yet targeted schools, where such obesity control program are led by the school's staff (dietitian, school nurse and physical education teacher) instead. Thus, this research set out to determine whether obesity control programs could be effectively utilized within elementary schools as a part of the school health problems. As a start, a book on Elementary School Obese Children Control Program was used as the main text to provide the basics of the program.
METHODS
The research was targeted at an elementary school located in NoWon district, where 16 moderate obese children from grades 3 to 6, were chosen to participate in training once every week for 6 weeks, together with exercises once every week for 5 weeks.
RESULTS
The evaluation of the obesity control program showed significant results in obesity index, body fat and HDL-cholesterol. The school nurse contacted each student's teacher every day and an exercise or training was scheduled, so that students could participate in the program. This contributed to a high participation rate, with an overall participation rate reaching 85% and an exercise participation rate reaching 79%. During the evaluation of the program, it was found that the regular exercises carried out once a week in the school led the students to get in the habit of exercising regularly after school.
CONCLUSION
It is considered that there would be a considerable change in childhood obesity control if the school nurse, dietitian and physical education teachers each played a part in carrying out an obesity control program as part of the school health care.