Promoting Healthy Eating Habits and Physical Activity among School-aged Children in Kuwait – “My Healthy Habits" Summer Camp

Alabdullah, Ghanima

doi:10.25148/etd.fidc006544

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 12 publications

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“…The survey measures children's knowledge, behavior and attitude about nutrition, screening time and physical activities and was validated for a group of U.S. elementary school children 26 : this was modified for the current study to fit the Kuwaiti culture for types of food and language. 27 The survey was translated to Arabic, the native language of the country, and "ham" was replaced by "beef": since ham is not a food choice in Kuwait.…”

Section: Data Collection: Modified Healthy Habits Survey (Hhs)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Child Obesity Prevention Intervention in Kuwaiti Summer Camps Targeting Health Behaviors in Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Screen Time

Alfaleh

Huffman

et al. 2020

J Health Sci Med Res

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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.

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Section: Data Collection: Modified Healthy Habits Survey (Hhs)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Child Obesity Prevention Intervention in Kuwaiti Summer Camps Targeting Health Behaviors in Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Screen Time

Alfaleh

Huffman

et al. 2020

J Health Sci Med Res

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HelperFriend, a Serious Game for Promoting Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors in Children: Design and Pilot Study (Preprint)

Espinosa-Curiel¹,

Pozas-Bogarin²,

Hernández-Arvizu³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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BACKGROUND The use of health games is a promising strategy for educating and promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors among children. OBJECTIVE We aimed to describe the design and development of a serious game, called HelperFriend, and evaluate its feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects in children in a pilot study. HelperFriend is a vicarious experiential video game designed to promote 3 lifestyle behaviors among young children: physical activity, healthy eating, and socioemotional wellness. METHODS Participants aged 8 to 11 years were recruited from an elementary school and randomized to receive a healthy lifestyle behavior educational talk (control) or play six 30-minute sessions with HelperFriend (intervention). Assessments were conducted at baseline (T0) and after the intervention (ie, 4 weeks) (T1). The primary outcome was gain in knowledge. The secondary outcomes were intention to conduct healthy behaviors, dietary intake, and player satisfaction. RESULTS Knowledge scores of intervention group participants increased from T0 to T1 for physical activity (t14=2.01, P=.03), healthy eating (t14=3.14, P=.003), and socioemotional wellness (t14=2.75, P=.008). In addition, from T0 to T1, the intervention group improved their intention to perform physical activity (t14=2.82, P=.006), healthy eating (t14=3.44, P=.002), and socioemotional wellness (t14=2.65, P=.009); and there was a reduction in their intake of 13 unhealthy foods. HelperFriend was well received by intervention group. CONCLUSIONS HelperFriend appears to be feasible and acceptable for young children. In addition, this game seems to be a viable tool to help improve the knowledge, the intention to conduct healthy behaviors, and the dietary intake of children; however, a well-powered randomized controlled trial is needed to prove the efficacy of HelperFriend.

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Promoting Healthy Eating Habits and Physical Activity among School-aged Children in Kuwait – “My Healthy Habits" Summer Camp

Cited by 2 publications

References 12 publications

Child Obesity Prevention Intervention in Kuwaiti Summer Camps Targeting Health Behaviors in Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Screen Time

Child Obesity Prevention Intervention in Kuwaiti Summer Camps Targeting Health Behaviors in Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Screen Time

HelperFriend, a Serious Game for Promoting Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors in Children: Design and Pilot Study (Preprint)

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