The "Fortaleça Sua Saúde" Program for Active and Healthy Lifestyle Among Brazilian Students

Summary

Background:

Interventions on lifestyle among adolescents are important, but the main mechanisms that explain the changes (mediating variables) on lifestyle have been little explored. Investigators present the rationale and methods of a cluster-randomized controlled trial aimed to promote promotion active and healthy lifestyle (especially physical activity \[PA\] practice and reducing screen time use) among Brazilian students - the "Fortaleça sua Saúde" ("Strengthen Your Health" in Portuguese) program.

Methods/Design:

This is a school-based cluster-randomized controlled trial that included students from six elementary full-time public schools (7-9 grades) in Fortaleza, northeastern Brazil. The intervention duration was one academic semester (approximately four months) in 2014. The intervention strategies focused on teachers' training and activities on health in curriculum (including a specific training to Physical Education teachers), active opportunities in the school environment (availability of spaces and materials for PA) and health education (production and exhibition of health material at school, and distributing pamphlets to patients). Data collection will be performed before and immediately after 4 months of intervention. The primary variables include the practice of PA (weekly PA volume) and the screen time use (TV/computer/video games). Intrapersonal, interpersonal and environmental variables associated to PA and screen time use will be evaluated by standardized questionnaire. Other components of the lifestyle (e.g., eating habits), psychological (e.g., self-rated health, body satisfaction), biological (general and abdominal obesity) and academic performance will be also evaluated in the patients. Depressive symptoms, eating disorders, sleep quality, objectively-measured physical activity will be evaluated in obese patients.

Discussion:

Is effective, this program will contribute to the development of public policies for active and health lifestyle promotion among young population, especially from low- and middle-income countries. The main variables (intrapersonal, interpersonal and/or environmental stimulus) that help the young people to adopt an active lifestyle also may be indicated. Finally, investigators expect that the proposed strategies may be adaptable to the public school reality and they may be extended to the entire school system.

Conditions

• Adolescent Behavior

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

"Fortaleça sua Saúde" program

The program duration was of one academic semester (approximately four months) in 2014. The intervention strategies focus on teachers' training and activities on health in curriculum (including a specific training to Physical Education teachers), active opportunities in the school environment (availability of spaces and materials for PA) and health education (production and exhibition of health material at school, and distributing pamphlets to students and parents).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universidade Federal do Ceara

  collaborator OTHER

• Secretaria Municipal de Educação de Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Adair S LOPES, PhD · Federal University of Santa Catarina

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

12 Years

Max Age

15 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2014-07-31

Primary Completion

2014-12-31

Completion

2015-06-30