scholarly journals One- and Two-Year Effects of the Healthy Primary School of the Future on Children’s Dietary and Physical Activity Behaviours: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 689 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina H.M. Bartelink ◽  
Patricia van Assema ◽  
Stef P.J. Kremers ◽  
Hans H.C.M. Savelberg ◽  
Marije Oosterhoff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Children's Health ◽  
Children’S Health ◽  
The Future ◽  
Quasi Experimental

Schools can help to improve children’s health. The ‘Healthy Primary School of the Future’ (HPSF) aims to sustainably integrate health and well-being into the school system. This study examined the effects of HPSF on children’s dietary and physical activity (PA) behaviours after 1 and 2 years’ follow-up. The study (n = 1676 children) has a quasi-experimental design with four intervention schools, i.e., two full HPSF (focus: nutrition and PA) and two partial HPSF (focus: PA), and four control schools. Accelerometers and child- and parent-reported questionnaires were used at baseline, after 1 (T1) and 2 (T2) years. Mixed-model analyses showed significant favourable effects for the full HPSF versus control schools for, among others, school water consumption (effect size (ES) = 1.03 (T1), 1.14 (T2)), lunch intake of vegetables (odds ratio (OR) = 3.17 (T1), 4.39 (T2)) and dairy products (OR = 4.43 (T1), 4.52 (T2)), sedentary time (ES = −0.23 (T2)) and light PA (ES = 0.22 (T2)). Almost no significant favourable effects were found for partial HPSF compared to control schools. We conclude that the full HPSF is effective in promoting children’s health behaviours at T1 and T2 compared with control schools. Focusing on both nutrition and PA components seems to be more effective in promoting healthy behaviours than focusing exclusively on PA.

scholarly journals Can the Healthy Primary School of the Future offer perspective in the ongoing obesity epidemic in young children? A Dutch quasi-experimental study

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. e030676 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina H M Bartelink ◽  
Patricia van Assema ◽  
Stef P J Kremers ◽  
Hans H C M Savelberg ◽  
Marije Oosterhoff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Z Score ◽  
Obesity Epidemic ◽  
The Future ◽  
Quasi Experimental

ObjectivesSchools play an important role in promoting healthy behaviours in children and can offer perspective in the ongoing obesity epidemic. The ‘Healthy Primary School of the Future’ (HPSF) aims to improve children’s health and well-being by enhancing school health promotion. The current study aims to assess the effect of HPSF on children’s body mass index (BMI) z-score after 1 and 2 years follow-up and to investigate whether HPSF has different effects within specific subgroups of children.DesignA longitudinal quasi-experimental design.SettingFour intervention and four control schools participated; located in a low socioeconomic status region in the Netherlands.Participants1676 children (aged 4–12 years).InterventionsHPSF uses a contextual systems approach and includes health-promoting changes in the school. Central to HPSF is the provision of a daily healthy lunch and structured physical activity sessions each day. Two intervention schools implemented both changes (full HPSF), two intervention schools implemented only the physical activity change (partial HPSF).Main outcome measuresBMI z-score, determined by measurements of children’s height and weight at baseline, after 1 and 2 years follow-up.ResultsThe intervention effect was significant after 1-year follow-up in the partial HPSF (standardised effect size (ES)=−0.05), not significant in the full HPSF (ES=−0.04). After 2 years follow-up, BMI z-score had significantly decreased in children of both the full HPSF (ES=−0.08) and the partial HPSF (ES=−0.07) compared with children of the control schools, whose mean BMI z-score increased from baseline to 2 years. None of the potential effect modifiers (gender, baseline study year, socioeconomic status and baseline weight status) were significant.ConclusionsHPSF was effective after 1 and 2 years follow-up in lowering children’s BMI z-scores. No specific subgroups of children could be identified who benefitted more from the intervention.Trial registration numberNCT02800616.

scholarly journals Unravelling the Effects of the Healthy Primary School of the Future: For Whom and Where Is It Effective?

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Bartelink ◽  
Patricia van Assema ◽  
Stef Kremers ◽  
Hans Savelberg ◽  
Dorus Gevers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lower Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Lower Socioeconomic ◽  
The Future ◽  
Home Context ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
At Home

The ‘Healthy Primary School of the Future’ (HPSF) aims to integrate health and well-being within the whole school system. This study examined the two-year effects of HPSF on children’s dietary and physical activity (PA) behaviours at school and at home and investigated whether child characteristics or the home context moderated these effects. This study (n = 1676 children) has a quasi-experimental design with four intervention schools, i.e., two full HPSF (focus: nutrition and PA), two partial HPSF (focus: PA), and four control schools. Measurements consisted of accelerometry (Actigraph GT3X+) and questionnaires. Favourable effects on children’s dietary and PA behaviours at school were found in the full HPSF; in the partial HPSF, only on PA behaviours. Children in the full HPSF did not compensate at home for the improved health behaviours at school, while in the partial HPSF, the children became less active at home. In both the full and partial HPSF, less favourable effects at school were found for younger children. At home, less favourable effects were found for children with a lower socioeconomic status. Overall, the effect of the full HPSF on children’s dietary and PA behaviours was larger and more equally beneficial for all children than that of the partial HPSF.

scholarly journals The Effects of the Healthy Primary School of the Future on Children’s Fruit and Vegetable Preferences, Familiarity and Intake

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 3241
Author(s):  
Marla T. H. Hahnraths ◽  
Maartje Willeboordse ◽  
Patricia van Assema ◽  
Bjorn Winkens ◽  
Constant P. van Schayck
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Mere Exposure ◽  
Fruit And Vegetable ◽  
School Based ◽  
Widespread Implementation ◽  
The Future ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Taste Exposure ◽  
One Year

Mere exposure is an often-described strategy to increase children’s food familiarity, preferences, and intake. Research investigating this method in less controlled settings is scarce. This study investigates the effects of repeated fruit and vegetable (FV) exposure through the Healthy Primary School of the Future (HPSF) on children’s FV familiarity, preferences, and intake. The study had a longitudinal quasi-experimental design comparing two full HPSFs (focus: nutrition and physical activity) with two partial HPSFs (focus: physical activity) in the Netherlands. Annual measurements (child-reported questionnaires) were conducted during 2015–2019 in 833 7–12-year-old children. The study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02800616). After correction for baseline, full HPSFs had, on average, a lower number of unfamiliar vegetable items after one (effect size (ES) = −0.28) and three years (ES = −0.35) and a higher number of disliked vegetable items after one year (ES = 0.24) than partial HPSFs. Unfavorable intervention effects were observed for fruit intake after one (odds ratio (OR) = 0.609) and four years (OR = 0.451). Repeated FV exposure had limited effects on children’s FV familiarity, preferences, and intake, likely due to insufficient taste exposure. Considering the widespread implementation of school-based mere exposure efforts, it is highly relevant to further investigate under which circumstances mere exposure effectively contributes to improvements in (determinants of) FV intake.

scholarly journals Det halte begreb: ‘De idrætsusikre elever’

2015 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 35-48
Author(s):  
Anne-Didde Holt
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Social Constructionism ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Children's Health ◽  
Children’S Health ◽  
Children’S Physical Activity

Physical activity has important benefits for children’s health, but many children do not reach the recommended levels. The school settingprovide a promising environment to increase children’s physical activity. In regards to that, politicians and scientists are especially focusingon a certain group of pupils, the so-called ‘sports insecure’ (‘idrætsusikre’). On the basis of a social constructionism theoretical framework, this article presents a critical analysis of the term ‘sport insecure’. The article draws on findings from a phenomenological-hermeneuticcase study taking place in a multi-ethnic primary school in Denmark.

scholarly journals The Healthy Primary School of the Future: A Contextual Action-Oriented Research Approach

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. 2243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina H. M. Bartelink ◽  
Patricia van Assema ◽  
Maria W. J. Jansen ◽  
Hans H. C. M. Savelberg ◽  
Maartje Willeboordse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Implementation Process ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Process Data ◽  
Population Process ◽  
The Future ◽  
Oriented Research

Background: Schools can play an important role in promoting children’s health behaviours. A Dutch initiative, ‘The Healthy Primary School of the Future’, aims to integrate health and well-being into the school system. We use a contextual action-oriented research approach (CARA) to study the implementation process. Properties of CARA are its focus on contextual differences and the use of monitoring and feedback to support and evaluate the process of change. The aim of this article is to describe the use of the approach. Methods: Four schools (each with 200–300 children, aged 4–12 years) were included; all located in low socio-economic status areas in the south of the Netherlands. Data collection methods include interviews, observations, questionnaires, and health and behavioural measurements. Research contributions include giving feedback and providing schools with a range of possibilities for additional changes. The contextual data we examine include schools’ health promoting elements, practices of teachers and parents, dominating organisational issues, and characteristics of the student population; process data include the presence of potential barriers to changes. Discussion: CARA is an adaptive research approach that generates knowledge and experiences on how to deal with health promotion in complex systems. We think this approach can set an example for research efforts in comparable initiatives.

Effectiveness of a Mindfulness-Based Retreat on Distress and Well-Being in Bereaved Parents

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 770-782
Author(s):  
Kara Thieleman ◽  
Joanne Cacciatore
Keyword(s):  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Self Compassion ◽  
Bereaved Parents ◽  
Quasi Experimental

Purpose: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a grief-focused mindfulness-based retreat on psychological distress (trauma, anxiety, and depression) and well-being (mindfulness and self-compassion) in bereaved parents. Method: A quasi-experimental design with two nonequivalent groups (intervention, comparison) and three observations was used. Results: Mixed-model repeated-measures analysis of variance showed significant reductions in distress at posttest in the intervention group, with significant group differences on four of the seven scales. While reductions were maintained at follow-up, group differences were only significant for one trauma subscale. The intervention group showed significant increases in two of the four mindfulness facets (describe and act with awareness) and self-compassion at posttest, although group differences were not significant and gains were not maintained at follow-up. A third mindfulness facet, nonjudge, increased significantly at follow-up, with significant group differences. Discussion: This approach shows promise for reducing some areas of distress and improving the nonjudging mindfulness facet in bereaved parents.

scholarly journals Parenting among Settled Migrants from Southern Africa: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruvimbo Machaka ◽  
Ruth Barley ◽  
Laura Serrant ◽  
Penny Furness ◽  
Margaret Dunham
Keyword(s):  
Extended Family ◽  
Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Children's Health ◽  
Children’S Health ◽  
Qualitative Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Raising Children ◽  
Global North ◽  
Need For Support ◽  
Health And Well Being

AbstractThe Global North has over the years been a popular destination for migrants from the Global South. Most of the migrants are in their reproductive ages who go on to bear and raise children. The differences and subjectivity in the context of their experiences may have an impact on how they ensure that their children have the best possible health and well-being. This paper synthesises 14 qualitative research papers, conducted in 6 Global North countries. We gathered evidence on settled Southern African migrants experiences of bearing and raising children in Global North destination countries and how they conceptualise sustaining children’s health and well-being. Results of the review indicated a concerning need for support in sustaining children’s health and well-being. Cultural and religious beliefs underpin how the parents in these studies raise their children. More research is needed which engages with fathers and extended family.

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