Nutrifit programme to improve health-related fitness among young Thai schoolchildren

Abstract

A Nutrifit programme, consisting of a nutrition education and physical training model, was developed by modifying an established Fitnessgram as a tool. The programme was tested among 514 schoolchildren aged eight to nine years who were enrolled in two provincial government schools (A and B) and two private schools (C and D) in the Bangkok Metropolitan Area. Health-related fitness tests using the Fitnessgram were administered in all four schools, followed by the Nutrifit programme intervention in schools B and D. The intervention included 10 nutrition and physical training education sessions during the regular physical education classes. During the seven-month programme period, though the nutritional status of children did not show a significant change, improvement in health-related fitness tests was noted in both non-intervened and intervened schools. It is recommended that the Nutrifit programme be incorporated into the school curriculum as a measure of nutrition and fitness aimed at health promotion and disease prevention.