Dataset Information

Relationship between primary school healthy eating and physical activity promoting environments and children's dietary intake, physical activity and weight status: a longitudinal study in the West Midlands, UK.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

We aimed to examine the association between food and physical activity environments in primary schools and child anthropometric, healthy eating and physical activity measures.

Design

Observational longitudinal study using data from a childhood obesity prevention trial.

Setting

State primary schools in the West Midlands region, UK.

Participants

1392 pupils who participated in the WAVES (West Midlands ActiVe lifestyle and healthy Eating in School children) childhood obesity prevention trial (2011-2015).

Primary and secondary outcome measures

School environment (exposure) was categorised according to questionnaire responses indicating their support for healthy eating and/or physical activity. Child outcome measures, undertaken at three time points (ages 5-6, 7-8 and 8-9 years), included body mass index z-scores, dietary intake (using a 24-hour food ticklist) and physical activity (using an Actiheart monitor over 5?days). Associations between school food and physical activity environment categories and outcomes were explored through multilevel models.

Results

Data were available for 1304 children (94% of the study sample). At age 8-9 years, children in 10 schools with healthy eating and physical activity-supportive environments had a higher physical activity energy expenditure than those in 22 schools with less supportive healthy eating/physical activity environments (mean difference=5.3?kJ/kg body weight/24?hours; p=0.05). Children in schools with supportive physical activity environments (n=8) had a lower body mass index z-score than those in schools with less supportive healthy eating/physical activity environments (n=22; mean difference=-0.17, p=0.02). School food and physical activity promoting environments were not significantly associated with dietary outcomes.

Conclusions

School environments that support healthy food and physical activity behaviours may positively influence physical activity and childhood obesity.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN97000586.

SUBMITTER: Garden EM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7757477 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Relationship between primary school healthy eating and physical activity promoting environments and children's dietary intake, physical activity and weight status: a longitudinal study in the West Midlands, UK.

Garden Elizabeth Mairenn EM Pallan Miranda M Clarke Joanne J Griffin Tania T Hurley Kiya K Lancashire Emma E Sitch Alice J AJ Passmore Sandra S Adab Peymane P

BMJ open 20201222 12

<h4>Objective</h4>We aimed to examine the association between food and physical activity environments in primary schools and child anthropometric, healthy eating and physical activity measures.<h4>Design</h4>Observational longitudinal study using data from a childhood obesity prevention trial.<h4>Setting</h4>State primary schools in the West Midlands region, UK.<h4>Participants</h4>1392 pupils who participated in the WAVES (West Midlands ActiVe lifestyle and healthy Eating in School children) ch ...[more]

PMID: 33371029

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Dataset Information

Relationship between primary school healthy eating and physical activity promoting environments and children's dietary intake, physical activity and weight status: a longitudinal study in the West Midlands, UK.

Objective

Design

Setting

Participants

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Results

Conclusions

Trial registration number

Publications

Relationship between primary school healthy eating and physical activity promoting environments and children's dietary intake, physical activity and weight status: a longitudinal study in the West Midlands, UK.

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