Abstract

RITO, Ana; LOPES, Délfia; BALEIA, Joana  and  MENDES, Sofia. Impact of a community-based program during a decade in schools setting on childhood obesity in Portugal: MUN-SI 2008-2018. Acta Port Nutr [online]. 2020, n.21, pp.50-56. ISSN 2183-5985.  https://doi.org/10.21011/apn.2020.2111.

Introduction: In Portugal, obesity is the most prevalent disease in childhood, with 1 in every 3 children being overweight, although in the last decade it has been showing a downward trend. Ongoing, community-based programs at local level seem to respond effectively to this problem. MUN-SI emerged in 2008 as a program to promote child health in municipalities with the aim of interactively tackle childhood overweight and obesity. Objectives: Impact assessment of MUN-SI program on the nutritional status, on attitudes and behaviors regarding diet, on knowledge and adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and on physical activity, of children aged 6 to 10 years, between 2008 and 2018, in the municipality of Oeiras. Methodology: MUN-SI intervenes through a matrix of 3 parameters: to promote healthy eating habits according to the selected theme, to promote regular physical activity, and to assess the nutritional status of children in primary schools, after the intervention. The playful-educational intervention classroom sessions were implemented by trained nutritionists and included: initial diagnosis and awareness of the theme, motivational intervention and evaluation of the program with active family participation. Eating behaviors and physical activity were assessed using a family questionnaire. Child nutritional status was classified according to World Health Organization, 2007 criteria. Results: There was a positive behavioral change in the preference for including fruit and vegetables in home brought to school lunches (+ 2.3% in 2015/2016) and at breakfast (+ 16% in 2014/2015 and + 11.9% in 2017/2018). The acquisition of knowledge about the Mediterranean Diet was observed in + 12.1% to 21.1% of the children, between 2016 and 2019 and the adherence to Mediterranean Diet increased in 20,9% of the children in 2006/2017. There was an increase in regular physical activity (11 to 15%) and a reduction of 11, 2% in the prevalence of overweight (35.5% to 24.3%) and 10.3% of obesity (16.7% to 6.4%) (p <0.005), during the decade of the study. Conclusions: The results of MUN-SI program suggest that integrated, multidisciplinary community-based programs on a continuous basis, at local level, have an effect on the adoption of healthier lifestyles by school age children and on decreasing the prevalence of overweight and childhood obesity.

Keywords : Municipalities; Childhood obesity; School-based program; Nutrition and health community program.

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