scholarly journals Evaluation of the Good Start Program: a healthy eating and physical activity intervention for Maori and Pacific Islander children living in Queensland, Australia

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seema Mihrshahi ◽  
Lisa Vaughan ◽  
Nicola Fa’avale ◽  
Shreenika De Silva Weliange ◽  
Inez Manu-Sione ◽  
...  
2015 ◽  
Vol 47 ◽  
pp. 521
Author(s):  
Cristina Perales ◽  
Kathleen S. Wilson ◽  
Lilia Espinoza ◽  
Vanessa Rigsby ◽  
Daniela A. Rubin

2005 ◽  
Vol 135 (10) ◽  
pp. 2392-2398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brit I. Saksvig ◽  
Joel Gittelsohn ◽  
Stewart B. Harris ◽  
Anthony J. G. Hanley ◽  
Tom W. Valente ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Ghanima Alfaleh ◽  
Fatma G. Huffman ◽  
Tan Li ◽  
Joan A. Vaccaro

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of an eight-week nutrition and physical activity intervention, entitled: “My Healthy Habits”, at summer camps to prevent obesity, reduce screen time, promote healthy eating habits and physical activity among children. Material and Methods: Eight-week pretest-posttest: intervention versus a comparison group was conducted, in two comparable summer camps in Kuwait and randomized at the site level. Convenient sampling (n=79) included children aged 6-10, receiving 8 weeks of nutrition education: 2 days/week, 40 minutes/day and physical activity sessions: 4 days/week for 20 minutes/day. Outcomes included: the Modified Healthy Habits Survey (items about diet, physical activity and sedentary behavior) and anthropomorphic: Body mass index (BMI) for age and gender percentile and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Group changes were measured by independent t-test, and within group changes by the McNemar’s test (categorical data) and paired t-test (interval data). Results: Significant increases in nutrition knowledge scores (from 4.3±1.7 to 10.5±1.2) and in the total score of the major food groups (from 10.0±2.6 to 13.7±2.2) were observed from pretest to posttest. Healthy eating significantly increased (from 12.8±1.8 to 14.5±1.5) for the intervention group only; however, intake of French fries, chips (FF) and sugarsweetened beverages (SSB) remained the same for both groups. Physical activity increased and screen time decreased,only in the intervention group. The participants’ BMI and WHtR decreased significantly in the intervention group: p-value=0.001. Conclusion: Healthy food and physical activity increased, while screen time decreased. Consumption of unhealthy food (FF and SSB) remains an issue.  


2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 473-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark L. Wieland ◽  
Marcelo M. M. Hanza ◽  
Jennifer A. Weis ◽  
Sonja J. Meiers ◽  
Christi A. Patten ◽  
...  

Purpose: To evaluate a healthy eating and physical activity intervention for immigrant families, derived through community-based participatory research. Design: The Healthy Immigrant Families study was a randomized controlled trial with delayed intervention control group, with families as the randomization unit. Setting: US Midwest city. Participants: Participants were recruited by community partners from Hispanic, Somali, and Sudanese immigrant communities. Intervention: Family health promoters from participating communities delivered 6 healthy eating modules, 4 physical activity modules, and 2 modules synthesizing information in 12 home visits (60-90 minutes) within the first 6 months. Up to 12 follow-up phone calls to each participant occurred within the second 6 months. Measures: Primary measures were dietary quality measured with weekday 24-hour recall and reported as Healthy Eating Index score (0-100) and physical activity measured with accelerometers (14 wear days) at baseline, 6, 12, and 24 months. Results: In total, 151 persons (81 adolescents and 70 adults; 44 families) were randomly assigned. At 12 months, significant improvement occurred in Healthy Eating Index scores for adults in the intervention group compared with controls (change, +8.6 vs −4.4; P < .01) and persisted at 24 months (+7.4 from baseline; P < .01). No differences were observed for adolescents and no significant differences occurred between groups for physical activity. Conclusion: This intervention produced sustained dietary quality improvement among adults but not among adolescents. Program outcomes are relevant to communities working to decrease cardiovascular risk among immigrant populations.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement 2) ◽  
pp. 15s-15s
Author(s):  
H.-R. Lee ◽  
H.E. Lee ◽  
K. Cassel ◽  
M. Hagiwara ◽  
L. Somera

Background: Culture is an important force which affects health behaviors linked to cancer risks among immigrants. Studies have demonstrated the process of acculturation can produce a form of stress that impact health negatively. On the other hand, research suggests that biculturalism, defined as the combining and practicing of customs from two cultures, may be a healthy approach to acculturation. Biculturalism is especially relevant for youth immigrants as their cultural identities are still developing. Pacific Islanders, a fastest growing populations in the US, often experience discrimination in the society at large and in the health care system. Pacific Islander youth in the US navigate between two cultural identities: their native culture as they live in a close-knit community that still maintains strong cultural norms and values, and the dominant American culture that they face once they step outside their community. This is one of the rare studies that examine the relationship between acculturation and cancer preventive behaviors among Pacific Islander youth. Aim: We aim to study the process through which biculturalism influences cancer risk and preventive behaviors such as smoking, sunscreen applications, physical activity and healthy eating among Pacific Islander youth immigrants in Hawaii. Specifically, we map the process of influence that links biculturalism to self-esteem and to these cancer risk and preventive behaviors. Methods: Using survey data from 284 Pacific Islander youth, we developed and tested a theoretically driven model that specifies the relationship among variables listed above. Results: Results show that self-esteem serves as an important mediator connecting biculturalism to cancer preventive behaviors. While biculturalism did not have a direct influence on behaviors and outcomes, it led to increased self-esteem which, in turn, directly influenced attitudes about sunscreen application, physical activity and healthy eating. However, there was neither direct nor indirect link between biculturalism and smoking. Conclusion: While numerous studies have shown links between biculturalism and health, not many studies focus on the specific process through which the influence is exerted. This study provides an important insight into the process through which biculturalism impacts cancer preventive behaviors among minority youth in America. Data from the study showed a clear relationship between biculturalism, self-esteem, their attitudes and behavior related to cancer prevention among Pacific Islander youth living in Hawaii. This study provides insights into potentially novel methods and interventions designed to increase cancer preventive behaviors among migrant youth by dually promoting adoption of U.S. cultural norms, while concurrently embracing an individual´s historic cultural identity.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise L Hardy ◽  
Kym Rizzo Liu ◽  
Emma Sainsbury ◽  
Smita Shah

Abstract Background: The Students As LifeStyle Activists (SALSA) Program is an effective Australian peer-led leadership program offered to high schools. SALSA Youth Voices (SYV) is a novel extension of the SALSA program, providing SALSA Peer Leaders with an opportunity to further develop leadership skills, and to design and implement an intervention to promote healthy eating and physical activity within their school. The objectives of this study were to 1) measure the acceptability of the SYV program, 2) determine skills gained by peer leaders from participating in SYV, and 3) determine whether peer leaders successfully implemented a student-designed healthy eating/physical activity intervention. Methods: Schools which participated in the SALSA program in 2019 were invited to a Leadership Day workshop (Term 3) where SALSA Peer Leaders identified and planned an activity to promote healthy eating and/or physical activity at their school, and an Action Day (Term 4) where peer leaders presented their interventions to 100 health and education professionals. Peer leaders completed two brief online surveys at the end of the Leadership Day and upon registration at the Action Day. Results: Eighty-four peer leaders (aged 14–15 years) from seven high schools in western Sydney (mean Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) = 951) participated in SYV. Peer leaders reported their involvement with the SYV program as positive, with 68% rating it as “very valuable”. Skills gained by the peer leaders included teamwork (90%), communication (85%), leadership (77%) and confidence (65%). Peer leaders planned and devised interventions included installing water refill stations, improving school gyms, redesigning girls’ sports shorts, and other strategies to engage girls in physical activity. Most peer leaders reported their intervention was successfully implemented and sustainable in their school. Conclusions: SYV provides a unique leadership opportunity for students from socio-economically disadvantaged areas to be effective agents of change to create opportunities for students to participate in physical activity and improve healthy food options at school.


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