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The aim of this study is to assess the changes in metabolic syndrome parameters among adults after the implementation of nutrition education. The research was conducted as a prospective, longitudinal, quasi-experimental evaluation study from May to December 2022. The research sample included 31 employees at the College of Vocational Studies in Subotica. The study was conducted in three phases: Initial assessment (anthropometric, clinical, biochemical measurements and eating habits), Nutrition educations (onloine and face-to-dace) and Evaluative assessment (six months after the initial assessment). Data analysis included methods of descriptive and comparative statistical analysis. Nutrition education was conducted for 31 participants, but only 18 responded to the evaluative assessment. Two thirds (62%) of the participants were overweight ad had elevated cholesterol levels. Elevated triglyceride values were registered in more than a half of the participants and high blood glucose levels in 13% of participants. More than a third of the participants had three or four risk factors for the development of metabolic syndrome. After nutrition education, distribution of participants according io BMI significantly changed (I—normal: 37%; overveigt: 31%; obese:29%; E—normal:10%; overveigt:29%; obese:19%; p = 0,001). Significant changes in the distribution of total cholesterol levels (I: 5.7 mmol/l; E: 5.4 mmol/l) was determined at the evaluative assessment (p = 0.005). Statistically changes in the distribution of breakfast (p = 0.001) and vegetables (p = 0.013) intake were observed. There were not determined significant changes in other antropometric, clinical and biochemical parameters after nutrition education. Although the nutrition education intervention showed some changes in the prevalence of risk factors, significant changes require more intensive, long-term interventions tailored to individual needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nutrition education is a key component of health promotion programs which leads to the improvement of students' nutritional behaviors. The transtheoretical model (TTM) is one of the models extensively used in changing people's behaviors. This study aimed to change the dairy consumption behavior based on the TTM in female students. Methods: A controlled trial was conducted with 159 female students (intervention group: 56; control group: 103) in the 10-11th grades from two public schools in Soumesara city located in the west of Gilan Province, Iran. Demographic characteristics, knowledge, TTM constructs and stage of change of dairy consumption were collected using a valid and reliable researcher-made questionnaire. Data were gathered before and one month after the educational intervention. Chi-square test, t-test and ANCOVA were used to analyze the data and a p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Fifty-two students from the intervention and 93 from the control group completed the study. Only 15% of the students were in the action or maintenance stages of dairy consumption. After the intervention, mean scores of behavioral processes of change, cognitive processes of change, decisional balance, and self-efficacy improved in the intervention group (P < 0.05 for all). Also, 37% and 16% of the participants in the intervention and control groups, respectively, were in the action or maintenance phase (P < 0.001). Conclusions: This study showed that implementing an intervention based on the TTM would positively affect students' dairy consumption behaviors. Also, it is suggested that the TTM be assessed in terms of other daily nutritional needs in students to promote their nutritional behaviors. Trial Registration: The study was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT) (available online at https://en.irct.ir/trial/50003) on April 11, 2020 with the number IRCT20200718048132N1 and was approved by research ethics committee of Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The study evaluates children in schools that participate in the School Health Program in the Northern region of Brazil with the objective of assessing whether their schools interfered in the development of overweight/obesity and how individual and school environment variables behave according to contextual analysis.Methods: The analyses were carried out with 1036 children from 25 municipal public schools in Northern Brazil that participated in the School Health Program. We evaluated both individual characteristics and scholar environment through univariate and multivariate logistic regressions to identify which of these factors were related to overweight/obesity as well as the effect of varying such associations.Results: The considered individuals had an median age of 8 years, being 54.9% female and 27.8% presenting overweight/obesity. In multivariate logistic regression, the overweight/obesity variance in schools was 0.386 (individual variables) and 0.102 (individual and school variables), explaining 23.7% of the variation, reduction of ICC and MOR. The Akaike Information Criterion between the models was reduced and the likelihood ratio indicated better adequacy of the latter model. The investigated children had a greater chance of developing overweight/obesity when they performed 2+ sedentary activities/day, depending on school location as well as whether or not candies were sold in the school surroundings. On the other hand, a lower chance of developing overweight/obesity was identified in children that ate 5+ meals/day and practiced dance at school.Conclusion: We observed that the variables inherent to both individuals and schools favored the development of overweight/obesity in children. It is relevant that scholar curriculums incorporate healthy eating interventions and encourage body practices associated with policies that restrain the sale of ultra-processed food in schools as well as the development of intersectoral actions between education and health to control childhood obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background In childhood, inadequate fluid intakes can lead on the short term, to reduced physical and cognitive performances. However, few data are available on the fluid intake among schoolchildren in Belgium. The main aim of this study is to evaluate total fluid intake provided by different types of beverages in a sample of Belgian schoolchildren, in order to assess the percentage of individuals complying with the European Food Safety Authority recommendations for total fluid intake. A secondary aim was to characterize the study population in terms of determinants of the total fluid intake requirements. Methods A child friendly "fluids and liquid food" diary was used to prospectively record the volume and frequency of beverage consumption over 7 days from 1045 school children. This diary also recorded the practice of physical activity. An adequate fluid intake was defined as an intake ⩾ 75% of the age-specific adequate intake recommended by the EFSA. Results The median (P25-P75) of habitual daily fluid intake was 864 (608-1104) ml/day, with 355 (194-579) coming from drinking water. This habitual daily fluid intake varied significantly among the three investigated EFSA groups (girls and boys aged from 8 years, girls from 9 to 13 and boys from 9 to 13), except for the drinking water (P = 0.906). The highest medians of fruit juice, sugar-sweetened beverages and milk and derivatives were found among boys of 9-13. Only 9.5% of the children had an adequate fluid intake, with a value of 19.2% among the 8 years old girls and boys, 7.0% among girls of 9-13 and 8.4% among boys of 9-13. In the whole sample, 27.7% of the children declared to drink less than 3-4x/day, 56% drunk water less than 2x/day and 7.7% drunk no water at all. Every day, 27.1% and 34.1% of the children drank respectively one fruit juice and one sugar-sweetened beverage. Conclusion Belgian schoolchildren have an inadequate total fluid intake. Given the potential health consequences, interventions involving parents and school environment to promote water consumption seem pertinent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Energy from liquids is one of the most important factors that could impact on the high prevalence of children and adolescents obesity around the world. There are few data on the liquid consumption in Brazil. The aim of this study is to evaluate the volume and quality of liquids consumed by Brazilian children and adolescents and to determine the proportion of their daily energy intake composed of liquids. Methods: A multicenter study was conducted in five Brazilian cities; the study included 831 participants between 3 and 17 years of age. A four-day dietary record specific to fluids was completed for each individual, and the volume of and Kcal from liquid intake were evaluated. The average number of Kcal in each beverage was determined based on label information, and the daily energy intake data from liquids were compared with the recommendations of the National Health Surveillance Agency (Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária-- ANVISA), the Brazilian food regulation authority, according to each subject's age. Results: As the children aged, the volume of carbonated beverages that they consumed increased significantly, and their milk intake decreased significantly. For children between the ages of 3 and 10, milk and dairy products contributed the greatest daily number of Kcal from liquids. Sugar sweetened beverages which included carbonated beverages, nectars and artificial beverages, accounted for 37% and 45% of the total Kcal from liquid intake in the 3- to 6-year-old and 7- to 10- year-old groups, respectively. Among adolescents (participants 11- to 17- years old), most of the energy intake from liquids came from carbonated beverages, which accounted for an average of 207 kcal/day in this group (42% of their total energy intake from liquids). Health professionals should be attentive to the excessive consumption of sugar sweetened beverages in children and adolescents. The movement toward healthier dietary patterns at the individual and population levels may help to improve programs for preventing overweight and obesity in children and adolescents. Conclusion: From childhood to adolescence the daily volume of liquid ingested increased reaching a total of 2.0 liters on average. Of this volume, the daily volume of milk ingested decreased while the carbonated drinks, sweetened, nectars and artificial beverages increased significantly. The proportion of water remained constant in about 1/3 of the total volume. From 3 to 17 years of age the energy intake from carbonated beverages increased by about 20%. The carbonated drinks on average corresponded to a tenth of the daily requirements of energy of adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]