Impact of a Pedagogical Intervention on Children Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Impact of a Pedagogical Intervention on Children Cardiovascular Risk Factors

In Bogotá, Colombia, the Fundación Cadioinfantil performed a randomized and controlled community trial, to evaluate the impact of a pedagogical intervention (PI) on cardiovascular health towards an active lifestyle and healthy eating in 9 schools of the city, including children from kindergarten to second grade of elementary school, their parents and teachers.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide and Colombia is not an exception. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that CVD risk factors are identifiable in childhood and they are predictor of CDV risk in adulthood. Worldwide, CDV primary prevention that begins in childhood is identified as a strategy that decreases the burden of this disease.

Programs developed in educational communities (EC), that include in their planning and implementation students, teachers and parents, with training to food personnel, are the most effective strategies to create healthy school environments and reduce the burden of chronic diseases. However recent studies that evaluate physical activity through accelerometers have not shown effectiveness.

In 2009, the Si! program and Fundación CardioInfantil performed a randomized and controlled community trial in facilities of the Colombian Family welfare Institute, ICBF, from Usaquen locality in Bogotá, finding that a pedagogical intervention (PI) in preschool children, their parents and teachers is effective in improving knowledge, attitudes and habits towards an active lifestyle and healthy diet.

The construction of the proposed intervention is based on the best available evidence about programs, policies and practices that positively impact in healthy eating and physical activity habits in EC.

The objectives of this project are to evaluate changes in healthy foods consumption and energy expenditure in children from kindergarten to second grade of elementary school that receives pedagogical intervention (PI) adapted to its context, compared to another EC that develops its habitual curriculum. In addition, this study evaluates changes on cardiovascular risk factors in children. Also, it evaluates changes in healthy foods consumption in their parents and teachers.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Private schools located in the urban area of Bogotá
• Schools with an appropriate physical activity space and infrastructure.
• Schools that allow the study conduction.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Schools that have received interventions of more than 1 month in healthy habits (nutrition and / or physical activity) during the year prior to the start of the study.
• Schools that plan to receive interventions of more than 1 month in healthy habits (nutrition and / or physical activity) during the time of follow-up of the study.
• Schools with a history of annual dropout of their students or teachers greater than 10%.