Effectiveness of a school-based nutrition education program on waist circumference and dietary behavior among overweight adolescents in Puducherry, India

The influence of western lifestyle such as high‑caloric dense food and sedentary lifestyle has a great influence on Indian children, and the current prevalence of childhood overweight in India ranges between 4% and 22%. The primary aim of the study was to determine the change in growth parameters (waist circumference) as well as dietary behaviors at baseline and at the end of first, third, sixth, and ninth months among overweight adolescent girls and boys following a school‑based nutritional education program.

The study was conducted in 2019 in four urban schools at Puducherry which were randomly assigned to study and control groups by lottery method, and 140 overweight children aged 11–14 years were in the study group and 140 children were in the control group. Simple random sampling method was used to select the samples A nutrition education program highlighting the importance of balanced nutrition and the ill effects of obesity was imparted to students in the study group through a PowerPoint presentation. As a means of reinforcement, posters and pamphlets were distributed. The waist circumference and the mean calorie, protein, and fat intake were assessed at baseline and at the first, third, sixth, and ninth months and compared between groups using independent t test.

There was a statistically significant reduction in waist circumference in the study group when compared to the control group at P < 0.05. A significant decrease in the calorie intake at P < 0.001 and fat intake at P < 0.01 was observed in the study group. The protein intake in the study group increased at the end of 9 months, which was significant at P < 0.001.

School‑based nutritional education program has been found to be a successful intervention in controlling unnecessary weight gain among overweight adolescents.