School-Based Cardiovascular Exercise and Nutrition Programs with Parent Participation

Abstract Two separate studies examined the efficacy of school-based exercise and nutrition programs with parent components. In Study 1, one fifth and one sixth grade class were randomly assigned to each of the three different treatment conditions, a school-and-home condition (n = 45), a school-only condition (n = 43), and a control condition (n = 44). In Study 2, second and fourth grade classrooms were assigned randomly to a school-based treatment group (n = 48) with parent participation and a control group (n = 49). In both studies the school-based education program focused on decreasing fat and cholesterol and increasing physical activity with a parent component. In Study 1, school-and-home children scored significantly higher than the control group on nutrition knowledge and sit-and-reach flexibility. In Study 2, children in the treatment group scored significantly higher and demonstrated greater improvement on fitness/nutrition knowledge and on vegetable and fruit servings. Within the limitations of the studies, the results were interpreted to suggest that the programs were primarily effective in enhancing knowledge changes for elementary school children.