EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM HAD A POSITIVE EFFECT ON THE INTAKE OF FAT, FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN STUDENTS ATTENDING PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS OF MEXICO

Introduction: Poor diet and lack of physical activity are the most important risk factors of mortality and burden of disease in Mexico and many other countries around the world. Objective: The purpose of this research was to analyze the effect of an educational intervention on The consumption of fruits, vegetables, fat, physical activity and inactivity in students attending public primary school of Sonora Mexico. Methods: The intervention consisted of educational workshops on nutrition and physical activity aimed to the students and educational talks on nutrition and physical activity aimed to parents. Anthropometric, 24 hours recall, nutrition-knowledge, and physical-activity questionnaires pre- and post-intervention were applied in order to evaluate changes in both groups. Results: 126 of the initial 129 students (97.7%) were evaluated at the end of the intervention, the consumption of fruits and vegetables was significantly higher after the intervention (p=0.0032) and the consumption of total fat decreased (p=0.02) in the intervention schools. Moreover, intervention increased physical activity (p=0.04) and decreased sedentary activities (p=0.006). Intervention students obtained higher knowledge in nutrition (p=0.05) at the end of intervention. Conclusion: The intervention had a positive effect on improve fruits, vegetables and fat consumption, physical activity and nutrition knowledge.