The Effectiveness of School-based Interventions in Preventing Childhood Obesity and Depression in Turkey

Purpose: The study was conducted in order to determine the effect of the Nintendo Wii game and Colour MyPyramid Nutrition Education Programme in overweight and obese school-age children's Body-Mass Index, percentile values, healthy food consumption behaviours at school and depression levels. Methods: Overweight and obese students aged between 10 and 13 years were included in the randomisedcontrolled intervention study (N=78). After the participants participated in Colour MyPyramid Nutrition Programme and played Nintendo Wii game, their pre-intervention and post-intervention Body-Mass Index (BMI), and percentile values, healthy food consumption behaviours at school and depression levels were evaluated. Findings: It was determined that there was a significant decrease on the BMI and percentile values of the children in the experimental group (p<0.05), and they developed a healthier consumption behaviours at school and their depression levels decreased after the intervention (p<0.001). Conclusions: Active video games applied together with nutrition education within the scope of school health programmes make positive contribution due to the effects on weight loss, healthy food consumption behaviours at school and depression levels among overweight and obese school age children. Nutrition education applied with active video games in preventing childhood obesity is an important opportunity to increase the motivation of children.