Author(s): Arul Valan P* and Rajeshwari G
Adolescents are increasingly susceptible to obesity, and thus at risk of later non-communicable diseases, due to changes in food choices, physical activity levels and exposure to an obese environment. This review aimed to synthesize the literature investigating the effectiveness of health education interventions delivered in school settings to prevent overweight and obesity and/ or reduce BMI in adolescents, and to explore the key features of effectiveness
Aim: To find the effectiveness of a school-based intervention program provided to adolescents regarding changes in body mass index (BMI), body composition
and selected health-related behaviour.
Objectives:
1. To determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in 10-18 year-old school going adolescents in Kanyakumari District.
2. To assess the perception of the adolescent about overweight/ obesity.
3. To evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based intervention program for three months and after six months follow up in changing the BMI, body composition, fitness and health-related
4. Behaviour of adolescents aged 10-18years on both groups.
Conclusion: Overweight and obesity continue to be a pressing issue among adolescents as the prevalence rate is 10.2 and 2% respectively among the school going adolescents of Kanyakumari district Interventional programs such as Zumba exercise and structured training was effective in reducing the BMI to 5% compared to the baseline BMI. This impact continued even 3months after the intervention was discontinued (2.5% reduction at the 6th month after the intervention) which reveals that the school adolescents would have continued to do the Zumba exercise as instructed by the investigator.
