Effects of Tailored Health Education Program on Overweight Elementary School Students' Obesity-Related Lifestyle: A School-Based Interventional Study

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Overweight and obesity are regarded as one of the most serious health and nutrition issues worldwide. This is immediately recognizable in both children and adolescents. In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of tailored education on lifestyle modification in elementary school students in Isfahan. METHODS: In a quasi-experimental study, two elementary schools in Isfahan District 3, Iran, were randomly selected to determine the intervention and comparison groups. Subsequently, 32 students from each school, 64 in total, were chosen arbitrarily and included in the study. They filled out the standardized questionnaire of physical activity and dietary behaviors before the intervention. Following one and four months' educational intervention, they were asked to complete the questionnaires once more. RESULTS: The average general lifestyle score, one and four months after education, was significantly different between the groups (p < 0.001). However, this difference was not significant before the intervention (p = 0.660). Furthermore, the average lifestyle scores related to nutrition and physical activity one and four months after education showed a significant difference between the groups (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Providing overweight elementary school students with education about a healthy lifestyle improves their general lifestyle and reduces weight. Therefore, it is recommended that such interventions are applied to prevent complications associated with being overweight in children.