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The APPLES project aimed to reduce obesity risk factors in primary school children through a tailored school-based program. The study involved 10 schools and 700 children aged 7-11 years, analyzing data over 12 to 24 months. The intervention included teacher training, resource dissemination, action plans, and continuous monitoring. Evaluation showed positive impacts on schools and individual children, with improvements in diet, physical activity, and awareness. The intervention led to successful implementation and behavior changes, highlighting the effectiveness of the program. Reflections on the study design and future implications for health services were noted. Publications from the study provide insights into childhood growth, healthy eating behaviors, and perceptions of body image.
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APPLES: A SCHOOL-BASED INTERVENTION TO REDUCE OBESITY RISK FACTORS P Sahota, MCJ Rudolf, R Dixey, AJ Hill, JH Barth, J Cade.
Aim of The APPLES Project • To develop a school based programme to improve the diet and activity levels of primary school children and so reduce obesity risk factors
Aim of The APPLES Project • To develop a school based programme to improve the diet and activity levels of primary school children and so reduce obesity risk factors
STUDY DESIGN: GROUP RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL • 10 schools involving 700 children aged 7-11 years • analysis by cluster • schools paired for size, ethnicity and FSMI and then randomised baseline 12 mths 24 mths Schools A-E Schools F-J INTERVENTION Schools A-E Schools F-J COMPARISON
APPROACH • Population Approach • Health Promoting School Philosophy
The APPLES PROGRAMME • Teachers Training Days • Resource Dissemination • Formulation of School Action Plans • Continuous Support and Monitoring • Anthropometric, diet, physical activity, psychological data collected pre and post intervention
APPLES ACTIVITIES Practical cooking sessions Topic work Health fairs Dietitian visits to class Tuck shops PElessons Playgroundactivities Schoolmeals
THE EVALUATION PROCESS • How successful was the implementation process? • What impact did APPLES have on the school? • What effect did it have on the individual child?
HOW SUCCESSFUL WAS THE IMPLEMENTATION? • All 10 schools completed • The teachers’ evaluations • 85 action points developed (6 -14 per school) • Response rates for data collection 64%-97% • Uptake of support offered by the Team
Teachers Evaluation • Trainingextremely useful 43% very useful 32% useful 25% • Resources yes, will use again 100% • Benefits increased awareness in children 100%
Change Suggested by Parents Results of questionnaire ( 64% response rate) • playground activities 43% • break-time snacks 40% • school dinners 33% • games and sports 29% • packed lunches 16 % • no change 20%
IMPACT ON THE SCHOOL • Action plans • School meals • Focus groups
Some Activities in the Action Plans - 89% achieved Schools • Nutrition education in curriculum 10 • Healthy eating sessions by dietitian 10 • Fit is Fun programme in P.E 10 • Improved playground facilities 6 • Policy changes in break-time snacks 5 • Healthy tuckshops 4
Changes in School Meals No. of Schools beforeafter • jacket potatoes 1 10 • fresh fruit - daily 8 10 • mash potatoes 4 6 • salad vegetables - daily 4 7 • vegetarian options poor good
FOCUS GROUPS Intervention school children reported: • Better understanding • More sophisticated ideas • Higher self reported behaviour change • Higher recollection of activities related to diet and activity
WAS THE INTERVENTION EFFECTIVE? • Growth • Diet - 3 day diaries, 24 hr recall • Physical activity - diaries and recall • Psychological well being
OTHER OUTCOMES:no significant difference between intervention and comparison schools • Dietary: fat sugar fruit intake • Physical activity • Psychological measures
SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS • APPLES was successful in its implementation • APPLES had an evident impact on the schools • Behavioural changes in the children were disappointing
Reflections and implications for Health Services Research Study Design • Sample size • Length of intervention • Outcome measures • Complexity of the intervention
Future • Research officer post funded • Refine intervention • conduct a multi-centre RCT
Publications • Mary CJ Rudolf, Tim J Cole, Aaron J Krom, Pinki Sahota, Jenny Walker. (2000) Growth of primary school children: a validation of the 1990 references and their use in growth monitoring. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 83:298 – 301. • R. Dixey, P Sahota, S Atwal, A Turner. (2001) Children talking about healthy eating: data from focus groups with 300 9-11 year olds.Nutrition Bulletin, British Nutrition Foundation, 26 (1): 71-79. • Rachael Dixey, Pinki Sahota, Serbjit Atwal , Alex Turner. (2001) “Ha ha, you’re fat, we’re strong”; a qualitative study of boys’ and girls’ perceptions of fatness, thinness, social pressures and health using focus groups. Health Education,101(5): 206 – 216. • Mary CJ Rudolf, Pinki Sahota, Julian H Barth, Jenny Walker. (2001) Increasing prevalence of obesity in primary school children: cohort study. British Medical Journal 322: 1094 - 1095 • Pinki Sahota, Mary CJ Rudolf, Rachael Dixey, Andrew J. Hill, Julian H Barth, Janet Cade. (2001) Evaluation of implementation and effect of school based intervention to reduce risk factors for obesity.British Medical Journal, 323: 1027 – 1029. • Pinki Sahota, Mary CJ Rudolf, Rachael Dixey, Andrew J. Hill, Julian H Barth, Janet Cade. (2001) Randomised controlled trial of primary school based intervention to reduce risk factors for obesity. British Medical Journal, 323: 1029 – 1032. • Rudolf MCJ, Greenwood DC, Cole TJ, Levine R, Sahota P, Walker J, Holland P, Cade J, Truscott J (2003) Rising Obesity and Expanding Waistlines In School Children: A Cohort Study. Archives of Disease in Childhood (in press)
CONCLUSIONS • Primary schools can implement changes into the school with little in the way of extra resources • Behavioural changes are harder to measure and achieve • Obesity is reaching epidemic proportions in the UK • Urgent need for good quality evaluative research.