scholarly journals Integration of Healthy Eating Habits and Physical Activity through Nutrition Care Process to Tackle the Obesity Epidemic: A Narrative Review of the Evidence

Author(s):  
Christiana Philippou ◽  
Eleni Andreou

Background: Obesity is a rising global health problem which is already at epidemic proportions. Effective methods of treatment are required and should be imparted by efficient means to dietitians and other health professionals dealing with weight management. Research shows that behavioral modification techniques are the most effective way to achieve and maintain a healthy weight compared to diet and physical activity alone.  Aim: This narrative review focusses on diet and physical activity behavioral modification techniques to promote effective weight management for sedentary and active adults using the Nutrition Care Process (NCP).  Methods: PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Science Direct, Web of Science and Pro-Quest databases were searched for relevant articles.   Results: A healthy eating habit is one of the contributing factors to improved health. Physical activities also help improve and maintain one’s health. This article discusses the importance of eating habits and physical activities among school students. In addition, health issues related to eating habits and the practice of physical activities are also highlighted. Overall, the results revealed that healthy eating habits and regular physical activities help in maintaining good health. Conclusion: NCP is a systematic approach to provide high-quality nutrition care. Using the NCP does not mean that all clients get the same care. Use of a care process provides a framework for the dietitian to individualize care, taking into account clients’ needs and values, and using the best evidence available to make decisions. Keywords:  obesity, weight control, physical activity, nutrition knowledge, eating habits, nutrition care process

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 40-44
Author(s):  
Dorota Hraca

Introduction: Health-oriented behaviours are actions taken to promote health and to prevent illness. These are behaviours whose purpose is to improve the environment around the human being, and thus to create conditions conducive to healthy living. Aim of the study: The aim of the study was to investigate the real patterns of health-oriented behaviours among high school students and to evaluate these behaviours in students and teachers. Material and methods: The study included 100 students (16-19 years of age) attending a general secondary school and 30 teachers employed at the same institution. The author chose to conduct a diagnostic survey with the use of a questionnaire. The research tool used in the study was a questionnaire prepared by the author, containing 12 questions, addressed to both students and teachers. The questionnaire was based on four research themes: eating habits of high school students, frequency with which they undertake physical activity, manners of dealing with stress, and ways in which they affect the behavior of their peers. Results: The results of the study indicate that young people of today are more aware of health-oriented behaviors. Studies have shown that 92% (92) of students are physically active, 77% (77) consider they have healthy eating habits; 90% (90) of the students stated that they cope with stress by listening to music and taking part in sport. The vast majority (as many as 84% (84)), think that stimulants are very harmful. The teachers considered that most of the students have healthy habits. Conclusions: The knowledge of high school students about health-oriented behaviors is satisfactory. Most students put this knowledge into practice through physical activity, healthy eating, avoiding drugs, and finding ways to cope with stress. According to the teachers, students are fully aware of positive and negative phenomena related to health and of how they can affect them.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Vilchis-Gil ◽  
Miguel Klünder-Klünder ◽  
Samuel Flores-Huerta

BACKGROUND Obesity is a chronic low-intensity state of inflammation with metabolic alterations that, when acquired during childhood, lead to severe illness in adults. Encouraging healthy eating habits and physical activity is the basis for preventing and treating obesity and its complications. OBJECTIVE To evaluate how a comprehensive intervention promoting healthy eating habits and physical activities in schools affects children’s metabolic biomarkers. METHODS Of four Mexico City primary schools in this study, two groups of children that were recruited at their schools were assigned to a 12-month intervention group (IG) and the other two were assigned to control groups (CGs). The intervention had two components: (1) parents/schoolchildren attended in-person educational sessions promoting healthy eating and physical activity habits, and were provided printed information; and (2) parents were able to seek information through a website, and also received brief weekly mobile phone text messages. Anthropometric measurements and fasting blood samples were taken from both groups of children at baseline and again after 12 months. RESULTS The study involved 187 children in the IG and 128 in the CG. Regardless of each child's nutritional status at the beginning of the study, the intervention improved metabolic parameters; the IG showed a negative effect on glucose concentrations (–1.83; CI 95% –3.06 to -0.60), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (–2.59; CI 95% –5.12 to –0.06), insulin (–0.84; CI 95% –1.31 to –0.37), and homeostasis model to assess the insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR; –0.21; CI 95% –0.32 to –0.09) in comparison to the CG. HOMA-IR improved in children who had higher than baseline body mass index z-scores. CONCLUSIONS Intervention through multiple components that promoted healthier eating and physical activity habits improved the metabolic parameters of the children in the study after one year, regardless of their nutritional status.


2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (39) ◽  
pp. 0-0
Author(s):  
Funda ÖZPULAT ◽  
Nazmi BİLİR

This research was aimed to determine the effect of educational intervention on healthy eating habits and physical activity levels of high school students. The research was conducted in two stages with a total of 800 students from 4 schools between the dates of 25.12.2016 - 31.05.2017. In the first stage, a questionnaire form consisting of 21 questions was applied to all students, and their height and weight measurements were collected. In the second stage, the planned educational intervention was implemented (n = 490) and the height and weight measurements of the students were collected again. The perception of students' body structures changed according to their genders before the intervention (p=.006), however, after the intervention, there was no correlation between the gender of students and their perception of their bodies. In addition, it was determined that the rate of those who stated that they, generally, had a healthy diet after the intervention increased from 38.8% to 52.2%. According to the results obtained from the research conducted, female students, at higher rates, perceive their weight incorrectly than male students. The intervention had little effect on the BMI of the students, while the proportion of those who had a healthy diet, and those who were physically active had increased. Based on the results obtained, it can be said that increasing the number of intervention programs and studies targeting adolescents will be effective in achieving positive results.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-86
Author(s):  
Man Zhang ◽  
Virginia Quick ◽  
Yanhong Jin ◽  
Jennifer Martin-Biggers

Objective: Examining associations of mother’s behaviors and home/neighborhood physical activity (PA) environments with preschoolers’ PA and screen time. Design: Cross-sectional online survey. Setting: Mothers with a 2 to 5 years old preschooler were recruited from the US panel members of Survey Sampling International. Participants: Five hundred thirty-one mothers with a preschool child aged 2 to 5 years old. Outcome Measure: Child daily screen time and PA, mother–child inside- and outside-home co-PA. Analysis: K-mean cluster analysis and Logit and negative binomial regressions. Results: Mothers’ healthy behaviors, such as decreased screen time, healthy eating habits, and increased PA, and perceived importance for PA were significantly ( P < .05) associated with preschoolers’ decreased screen time and increased PA. Available toys ( P < .01) and maternal perceived neighborhood safety ( P < .05) were negatively correlated with preschoolers’ screen time, while available room space ( P < .01) was positively correlated with preschoolers’ PA. Variables positively correlated with mother–child co-PA included mothers’ PA ( P < .001) and healthy eating habits ( P < .05), and home room space ( P < .05) for inside-home, and yard space and quality ( P < .05) for outside-home. Conclusions: Mother’s role modeling and home PA environment were positively associated with preschoolers’ PA behavior.


2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 1051-1059
Author(s):  
Gisele Ferreira Dutra ◽  
Cristina Correa Kaufmann ◽  
Alessandra Doumid Borges Pretto ◽  
Elaine Pinto Albernaz

Abstract Worldwide, about 22 million children under five years old are overweight. Environmental factors are the main trigger for this epidemic. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the eating and physical activity habits in a cohort of eight-year-old children in Pelotas, Brazil. Eating habits were assessed based on the Ten Steps to Healthy Eating proposed by the Ministry of Health. To assess the level of physical activity, the physical activity questionnaire for children and adolescents (PAQ-C) was used. Of the 616 interviewed children at 8 years, it was observed that 50.3% were male; 70.3% were white and just over half belonged to economic class C. None of the children were classified as very active and none acceded to a daily consumption of six servings of the cereals, tubers, and roots. The steps that had higher adhesion were 8 (do not add salt to ready foods); 4 (consumption of beans, at least 5 times per week) and 1 (have 3 meals and 2 snacks per day), respectively. The high prevalence of physical inactivity and low level of healthy eating habits confirm the importance of strategies to support and encourage the practice of physical activity and healthy eating among youth.


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