Can physical activity reinforce nutrition education? Evaluation of physical activity in the Families in Transformation (FIT), wellness program for children

• Main Author: Maloney, Meagan
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Subjects: nutrition; physical education
• ISBN: 9781339855295; 1339855291

Objective: To determine if physical activity can reinforce nutrition education messages in the Families in Transformation (FIT ) program at HealthWorks! located in Tupelo, Mississippi.
Methods: Children ages 7--13 participating in the (FIT) program made up the subjects for this study. A control and treatment group were observed using a nutrition reinforcement physical activity and a non-nutrition reinforcement activity during the regular physical activity nights of the (FIT) program, and a pre and post Nutrition Quiz, Health Habits Survey, anthropometric data, and Fitness data were obtained pre and post study to determine if the intervention had an impact on the subjects.
Results: There were no significant differences seen in pre and post BMI . The means for the fitness test results are found in Table 3. Significant (p < 0.05) differences were seen from pre-program to post-program from for the girls in push-ups (14.00 + 6.23 to 20.2 + 5.63) and chair squats (29.3 + 3.23 to 32.4 + 4.59) which in turned affected significant differences for the total group for push-ups (14.31 + 7.62 to 19.63 + 6.62) and chair squats (30.50 + 10.21 to 34.44 + 7.39). Significant (p < 0.05) differences were seen from pre-program to post-program for sit-ups for the total group (39.63 + 5.80 to 44.38 + 4.91). Differences were almost significant in both girls and boys, but was not because sample size was smaller. The intervention group performed better on the nutrition quiz in 6 out of the 10 questions, 2 questions were 100% pre and post, 4 of the 10 questions being statistically significant. Children performed better on the post Nutrition Quiz than the pre Nutrition Quiz.
Conclusion: The nutrition reinforcement treatment group scored better on the post Nutrition Quiz in comparison to the control group. Nutrition reinforcement through physical activity does have a positive effect on nutrition education knowledge retention. Short term weight management programs do produce positive health effects.