Neumark-Sztainer Dianne, Haines Jess, Robinson-O'Brien Ramona, Hannan Peter J, Robins Michael, Morris Bonnie, Petrich Christine A
Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, 1300 South Second Street, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA.
Health Educ Res. 2009 Jun;24(3):407-20. doi: 10.1093/her/cyn036. Epub 2008 Jul 11.
This study examined the feasibility of implementing an innovative theater-based after-school program, 'Ready. Set. ACTION!', to reach ethnically diverse and low-income children and their parents with obesity prevention messages. The study population included 96 children and 61 parents. Children were in fourth to sixth grade and 41% were overweight at baseline. Program impact was evaluated with a pre/post-randomized controlled study design, but a major focus was placed on the process evaluation conducted in the intervention schools. Intervention children and parents reported high program satisfaction and that they had made changes or intended to make positive changes in their behaviors due to program participation. However, few meaningful differences between the intervention and control conditions were found at follow-up. Thus, the combined process and impact evaluation results suggest that the intervention was effective in leading to increased awareness of the need for behavioral change, but was not powerful enough on its own to lead to behavioral change. From this feasibility study, we concluded that Ready. Set. ACTION! offers promise as a creative intervention strategy. The next research step may be to incorporate theater-based programs into more comprehensive school-based interventions, with both educational and environmental components, and evaluate program impact.
本研究探讨了实施一项创新的、以戏剧为基础的课后项目“准备。就绪。行动！”的可行性，该项目旨在向不同种族和低收入家庭的儿童及其父母传递预防肥胖的信息。研究对象包括96名儿童和61名家长。儿童处于四至六年级，基线时41%超重。采用随机对照前后研究设计评估项目影响，但主要重点是在干预学校进行的过程评估。参与干预的儿童和家长对项目满意度很高，并且表示由于参与项目，他们已经做出改变或打算在行为上做出积极改变。然而，随访时干预组和对照组之间几乎没有发现有意义的差异。因此，综合过程评估和影响评估结果表明，该干预有效地提高了人们对行为改变必要性的认识，但仅凭自身力量不足以导致行为改变。从这项可行性研究中，我们得出结论，“准备。就绪。行动！”作为一种创新的干预策略具有前景。下一步研究可能是将以戏剧为基础的项目纳入更全面的、包含教育和环境因素的校本干预措施中，并评估项目影响。
