Top of Page The Healthy Buddies™ program provides an opportunity to shape the health culture of children and adolescents when they are at school. The classroom setting is a perfect environment to teach kids about nutrition, the benefits of physical activity, and about healthy growth and development. The social culture in schools is a significant contributor to the development of children's attitudes and habits, which influence health/lifestyle beliefs and behaviours as they mature. The Healthy Buddies™ program also provides the basis for a collaborative relationship between health care, health promotion and education to reduce the incidence of preventable health problems.
To assess the generalizability of the positive effects found during the Healthy Buddies™ pilot study. To assess effectiveness of the Healthy Buddies™ Program when it is in-serviced to multiple schools with diverse populations and taught by existing teachers who have been trained by the intervention teachers from the pilot study.
To provide BC elementary school children with an effective, comprehensive program that addresses relevant health and development issues of children.
knowledge, behaviours and attitudes pertaining to healthy eating, physical activity, and personal health promotion. Secondary Outcome Measures: body mass index (BMI), as calculated by kg/m2, waist circumference, heart rate, blood pressure, self-esteem, empathy, social responsibility
(top)Study ProtocolAnthropometry: Each student is individually escorted into a cordoned privacy area by the P/RC or RA. Two nurses or student nurses will measure height, weight and waist circumference, blood pressure and heart rate. All those involved are trained in the accurate assessment of these measures. The same persons are involved in pre- and post- testing at each testing school. Height is measured via a Seca portable stadiometer. Weight is taken on a Salter portable digital scale. Waist circumference is measured to the nearest 0.1 cm using a specially coded "kid-friendly" measuring tape specifically developed for this work. Blood pressure and heart rate are assessed using a Dynamap machine.Age and birth month is collected from all participating students at baseline so that BMI Z scores and centiles can be calculated.
Questionnaire: Each student completes a questionnaire, similar to the ones used in the pilot study. Questions target current activity, diet, and attitudes. A validated measure of empathy and self esteem is included along with an adapted measure of food preoccupation. Questionnaires are read to each primary student (K-4) by a trained study assistant; intermediate students (Gr 5-7) receive their questionnaires directly from the P/RC and RA; they are completed in their classroom. Answers will be written on the questionnaire itself. Questionnaires are coded for confidentiality. (top)ConfidentialityMeasurements and questionnaires will be identified by ID numbers only. No names will be noted. No information that discloses students' identity will be released or published without specific consent to the disclosure. However, research records and medical records identifying students may be inspected in the presence of the Investigator(s), Health Canada, and the UBC Research Ethics Board for the purposes of monitoring the research. However, no records which identify subjects by name or initials will be allowed to leave the Investigator(s)' office. Collected child health indicators will be released to parents/guardians and students at the end of the evaluation period, if written request is made. (top)Study ContactIf you have any questions or desire further information with respect to this study, please contact the Project/Research Coordinator Stacey Evans Ishkanian at 604.875.2345 ext. 5120, Dr. Sue Stock at 604.875.2000 ext. 5120 or Dr. Jean-Pierre Chanoine at 604.875.2117. (top)Ethics ContactThe University of British Columbia phone number for research participants is 604.822.8598 and is called the "Research Subjects Information Line in the UBC Office of Research Services". (top)