Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(2), 267; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16020267
Effect of a Multicomponent Intervention on Lifestyle Factors among Brazilian Adolescents from Low Human Development Index Areas: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial
1
Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Ceara, 63870-000 Boa Viagem, Brazil
2
Post-graduate Program in Collective Health, Ceara State University, 60741-000 Fortaleza, Brazil
3
Research Center for Physical Activity and Health, Federal University of Santa Catarina, 88040-000 Florianopolis, Brazil
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 20 November 2018 / Revised: 4 January 2019 / Accepted: 14 January 2019 / Published: 18 January 2019
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Community Health Intervention to Reduce Chronic Disease)
Abstract
Promoting healthy lifestyle factors (e.g., physical activity, healthy eating, less screen time) among young people is a relevant and challenging step toward reducing non-communicable diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a multicomponent intervention on lifestyle factors among adolescents from schools in low Human Development Index (HDI < 0.500) areas. The Fortaleça sua Saúde program was conducted with 548 adolescents aged 11–18 years old in the intervention group and 537 in the control group. The four-month intervention included strategies focused on training teachers, new opportunities for physical activity in the school environment, and health education strategies for the school community (including parents). Moderate- to-vigorous physical activity level (≥420 min/week), TV watching and computer use/gaming (<2 h/day), daily consumption of fruit juice, fruit, vegetables, soft drinks, savory foods and sweets, and current alcohol and tobacco use were measured before and after intervention. McNemar’s test and logistic regression (odds ratio [OR] and a 95% confidence interval [95% CI]) were used, considering p < 0.05. In the intervention schools, a significant increase occurred in the number of adolescents who met physical activity guidelines (5.3%; 95% CI = 0.8; 9.8) and who reported using computer for <2 h a day (8.6%; 95% CI = 3.8; 13.4) after intervention. No changes were observed in the control schools. At the end of the intervention, adolescents from intervention schools were more likely to practice physical activity at recommended levels (OR = 1.44; 95% CI = 1.00; 2.08) than adolescents from control schools. No significant change was observed for the other lifestyle factors. In conclusion, this multicomponent intervention was effective in promoting physical activity among adolescents from vulnerable areas. However, other lifestyle factors showed no significant change after intervention. This study is registered at Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02439827. View Full-TextKeywords:
childhood behaviors; chronic disease; social vulnerability
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Barbosa Filho, V.C.; Bandeira, A.S.; Minatto, G.; Linard, J.G.; Silva, J.A.; Costa, R.M.; Manta, S.W.; Sá, S.A.M.; Matias, T.S.; Silva, K.S. Effect of a Multicomponent Intervention on Lifestyle Factors among Brazilian Adolescents from Low Human Development Index Areas: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16, 267.
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