Background: The environment affects children’s energy balance-related behaviors to a considerable extent. A context-based physical activity and nutrition school- and family-based intervention, named KEIGAAF, is being implemented in low socio-economic neighborhoods in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. The aim of this study was to investigate: 1) the effectiveness of the KEIGAAF intervention on BMI z-score, waist circumference, physical activity, sedentary behavior, nutrition behavior, and physical fitness of primary school children, and 2) the process related to the implementation of the intervention. Methods: A quasi-experimental, controlled study with eight intervention schools and three control schools was conducted. The KEIGAAF intervention consists of a combined top-down and bottom-up school intervention: a steering committee developed the general KEIGAAF principles (top-down), and in accordance with these principles, KEIGAAF working groups subsequently develop and implement the intervention in their local context (bottom-up). Parents are also invited to participate in a family-based parenting program, i.e., Triple P Lifestyle. Children aged 7 to 10 years old (grades 4 to 6 in the Netherlands) are included in the study. Effect evaluation data is collected at baseline, after one year, and after two years by using a child questionnaire, accelerometers, anthropometry, a physical fitness test, and a parent questionnaire. A mixed methods approach is applied for the process evaluation: quantitative (checklists, questionnaires) and qualitative methods (observations, interviews) are used. To analyze intervention effectiveness, multilevel regression analyses will be conducted. Content analyses will be conducted on the qualitative process data. Discussion: Two important environmental settings, the school environment and the family environment, are simultaneously targeted in the KEIGAAF intervention. The combined top-down and bottom-up approach is expected to make the intervention an effective and sustainable version of the Health Promoting Schools framework. An elaborate process evaluation will be conducted alongside an effect evaluation in which multiple data collection sources (both qualitative and quantitative) are used.
Jonge kinderen met overgewicht is een actueel probleem, met name bij bevolkingsgroepen met een migratie-achtergrond en een lage sociaaleconomische status in grote steden zoals Amsterdam. Om overgewicht tegen te gaan is het belangrijk om al op jonge leeftijd in te zetten op een gezonde leefstijl met goede voeding en voldoende beweging en slaap. Daarnaast heeft de opvoeding van ouders ook een grote invloed op het ontwikkelen van een (on)gezond gewicht, met name bij jonge kinderen. Vaak worden leefstijlinterventies ingezet om overgewicht tegen te gaan, veelal ontwikkeld door voedings- en beweegprofessionals en gezondheidsbevorderaars. Diverse programma’s voor het stimuleren van een gezonde leefstijl en het tegengaan van overgewicht werken met een cultuursensitieve aanpak om aan te sluiten bij de doelgroep. Deze aanpak vraagt ook om pedagogische expertise, aangezien de opvoeding een belangrijke rol speelt. Als expert op het gebied van opvoeding is het aan de pedagoog om deze expertise ook in te zetten bij de gezonde ontwikkeling van kinderen in de grote stad. Het samenbrengen van expertises met betrekking tot opvoeding en een gezonde leefstijl moet leiden tot een nieuwe en effectieve strategie in de bestrijding van overgewicht bij jonge kinderen waarbij rekening wordt gehouden met culturele en etnische verschillen in opvattingen en gedrag van ouders ten aanzien van opvoeding en een gezonde leefstijl.De onderzoeksvragen van deze studie zijn:1. Op welke wijze hanteren internationale en lokale leefstijlinterventies voor gezinnen met jonge kinderen in de voorschoolse periode (1-4 jaar) een cultuursensitieve aanpak?2. Hanteren deze leefstijlinterventies ook een pedagogisch onderbouwde aanpak?
Due to the environmental and nutritional benefits of insects, their consumption would be one of the solutions to feed the growing human population. Despite the increasing interest in the use of insects as food and feed, consumer acceptance is the major obstacle to successful implementation in Western countries and we studied the factors that influence consumer acceptance in a group of university students from Germany and the Netherlands. In this exploratory research, a survey was conducted (n = 222). Socio‐demographic and psychological factors were established from a theoretical review. In addition, we elaborated on questions regarding information on the health and environmental benefits of consuming insects. Initially, the data obtained are presented through descriptive statistics. The influence of the socio‐demographic and psychological factors, and the information on the willingness to accept insects as animal feed and human food was analyzed using correlations and multiple linear regressions. Results showed more willingness to accept insects as animal feed than in human food. The acceptance among German and Dutch students seems to be driven by issues similar to those in other European countries, such as visual aspects and knowledge about the benefits. The effect of the information on willingness constitutes an important finding of this study, especially for the use of insects in animal feed, since most of the previous studies have focused on the use of insects as human food. Our data support the need to inform and educate consumers about the environmental and health benefits of entomophagy. We conclude that effective efforts to implement entomophagy could increase the level of familiarity with the insect food and inform (or educate) consumers about its benefits. Insights from this study are useful to address studies focusing on specific segments of possible early adopters and consequently addressing communication strategies in this market segmentation.
