WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative: School nutrition environment and body mass index in primary schools.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Schools are important settings for the promotion of a healthy diet and sufficient physical activity and thus overweight prevention.

Objective

To assess differences in school nutrition environment and body mass index (BMI) in primary schools between and within 12 European countries.

Methods

Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) were used (1831 and 2045 schools in 2007/2008 and 2009/2010, respectively). School personnel provided information on 18 school environmental characteristics on nutrition and physical activity. A school nutrition environment score was calculated using five nutrition-related characteristics whereby higher scores correspond to higher support for a healthy school nutrition

SUBMITTER: Wijnhoven TM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4245612 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature