Abstract

MORALES-RUAN, María del Carmen et al. Effects of an intervention strategy for school children aimed at reducing overweight and obesity within the State of Mexico. Salud pública Méx [online]. 2014, vol.56, suppl.2, pp.s113-s122. ISSN 0036-3634.

Objective. This study explored the intervention effect of the "Nutrition on the Go" strategy on the prevalence of overweight and obesity (OW+O), according to the role played by different patterns. Materials and methods. Pattern Groups (PG) were determined based on schools' food availability and other variables at individual level: nutrition knowledge, physical activity, socioeconomic level and self-efficacy, using an ecological approach. The PG classification was achieved using Ward's cluster method. Results. The prevalence of OW+O was higher in PGI (intermediate food availability and high socioeconomic index [SEI]) compared to PG 2 (high availability of food and lower SEI) and PG 3 (low availability of food and medium SEI) with a lower prevalence (p<0.00I). The PG-intervention interaction showed differences for PG 3 (p=0.066), the stage-PG interaction showed differences between PGs I and 3 (p=0.014) and between PGs 2 and 3 (p=0.055). Conclusions. Differences between PGs have important implications for the prevalence of OW+O.

Keywords : intervention studies; physical activity; health promotion; schools; Mexico.