BACKGROUND: Few school-based interventions integrate nutrition with physical activity (PA), especially within physical education classes. This study evaluated the effect of a nutrition education program designed for physical educators (PEs) that combined nutrition education with PA. METHODS: In this cluster-randomized study, classes were assigned (class level) to a control (n = 11; 140 students) or an intervention group (n = 8; 143 students) over 4 months. PEs (n = 7) and students (n = 283) completed questionnaires pre- and post-intervention. Primary outcomes included students' nutrition knowledge, attitudes, environments, behaviors, and dietary intake. Additionally, PEs' appreciation, relevance, and use of the program and self-reported and measured compliance were evaluated. Mixed-effects models were used for analysis. RESULTS: Students in the intervention group showed a greater improvement in nutrition knowledge than those in the control group (adjusted mean change: +3.6 versus +1.3 points, respectively; p < 0.001). No significant changes were observed for other outcomes. IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL HEALTH POLICY, PRACTICE, AND EQUITY: Providing PEs with tailored resources enables them to effectively integrate health promotion into physical education classes. CONCLUSIONS: A nutrition education program for PEs has the potential to improve students' nutrition knowledge and offers a feasible approach to incorporate nutrition education into the physical education curriculum.
Larose et al. (Mon,) studied this question.