Nutrition Education and Body Mass Index in Grades K‐12: A Systematic Review. (1st August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Price, Cayla; Cohen, Deborah; Pribis, Peter; Cerami, Jean
• Is Part Of: Journal of school health. Volume 87:Number 9(2017:Sep.)
• Page Start: 715
• Page End: 720
• Publication Date: 2017-08-01
• Subjects: childhood obesity -- overweight youth -- body mass index (BMI) -- nutrition education; School health services -- Periodicals; School children -- Health and hygiene -- Periodicals; Health education -- Periodicals; School Health Services -- Periodicals; Health Education -- Periodicals; 371.71
• DOI: 10.1111/josh.12544
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-4391

Abstract

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Overweight and obese body mass index (BMI) status affects an increasing number of children in the United States. The school setting has been identified as a focus area to implement obesity prevention programs. METHODS: A database search of PubMed, Education Search Complete, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) was conducted for peer‐reviewed articles published between January 2005 and December 2015 pertaining to programs offered in the school setting to grades K‐12 in the United States with a nutrition education component and measured BMI percentile or BMI z‐score as an outcome. RESULTS: Seven studies focused on elementary (K‐5) populations and 2 studies focused on grades 6‐8. Among the 9 identified studies, those with long‐term (greater than 1 year) implementation showed more pronounced results with positive impact on reducing overweight/obese BMI measures. CONCLUSIONS: This set of studies suggests that long‐term nutrition education delivered in the school setting can provide children with tools to attain a healthy weight status. Additional studies examining participants' BMI status years after the initial study, and studies examining programs in grades 9‐12 are needed to determine the most effective delivery time and methods.