The effect of healthy life approaches applied to families of children in preschool on obesity and healthy life behaviour

Main Article Content

Dilek Oztoprak Hacioglu
Hatice Şimşek

Keywords

being overweight, obesity, preschool period, family-centered intervention

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and associated factors of obesity and being overweight in 3-5 year-old children attending public kindergarten and develop healthy lifestyle behaviour by applying supportive healthy lifestyle approaches to families with overweight or obese children. Method: The study was composed of two parts: cross-sectional and interventional. The population for the cross-sectional part was 191 children aged between 3-5 and registered to kindergarten, along with and their families. The intervention group accounts for 23 mothers of overweight or obese children diagnosed in the cross-sectional part. Interventions contain counselling interviews, brochures, and letter deliveries showing the weights of their children. Data before and after the intervention were compared. Results: The prevalence of being overweight or obese was 27.2%. It was found out that being overweight or obese was associated with the children’s sex (p=0.034), the mothers’ educational status (p=0.043) as well as the children’s breakfast habits (p=0.009). Following the intervention, positive results were acquired relating to the children’s weight outcomes, their daily average TV, DVD watching duration, and parental behaviour regarding nutrition (p<0.05). Conclusion: It was shown that family-based approaches aiming at the development of healthy lifestyle behaviour in children are effective in preventing and treating obesity.

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