"Community projects" in Modena (Italy): promote regular physical activity and healthy nutrition habits since childhood.

Lack of exercise and unhealthy diets are two of the most important risk factors to develop overweight, obesity and other chronic diseases. The school plays a key role in the promotion of lifelong healthy habits in children and their families. Every intervention at school level will need to be matched by changes in the social and cultural context so that the benefits can be sustained and enhanced in the community. We promoted healthy nutrition and a regular physical activity in schools and in local communities, through multifaceted interventions, which involved more than 10,000 children and about 100,000 adults.

Surveillance of dietary habits and lifestyles among 5-6 year-old children and their families living in Central-North Italy.

OBJECTIVES: To study dietary habits and behaviours of a representative sample of 5-6-year-old children and their families. METHODS: A stratified population sample of the general population (5508 children out of 5551 residents) born in 1997 and attending a nursery school was analysed. Weight and height were measured. Information was collected via questionnaire. A "normal" body mass index (BMI) ranged between 13.61-18.09 and 13.31-19.79 kg/m2 for boys and girls respectively. RESULTS: The response rate was 89%. 79% of the boys had a normal BMI, 0.9% had a low BMI, 18% were overweight, and 1.8% was obese; 87% of the girls had a normal BMI, 2.6% had a low BMI, 10% were overweight, and 0.7% were obese. The main sources of dietary information were professionals of the national health system and mass-media. The main barriers to healthy dietary habits were busy daily activities, working timetable, time needed to cook and tasty and healthy food cost. The main changes in dietary habits occurred in the family habits after a child's birth. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed a crucial role played by professionals of the national health system and by mass-media on eating behaviours among children and their parents. Birth of a child is a receptive context to promote healthy habits.

Improving the cardio-respiratory fitness in older people and cardiac patients: findings from an Italian participatory research.

OBJECTIVE: We performed a before-after study--in the setting of a participatory research--aimed at improving the cardio-respiratory fitness in older people and cardiac patients by means of tailored advices on diet and exercise administered by trained personnel. METHODS: A volunteer sample of 336 patients underwent a 2-km walk test before and after a comprehensive assessment of health status and after the administration of tailored advices on healthy diet and a personalized exercise program at home by trained personnel. The main outcome measures were before-after changes in the cardiorespiratory fitness index and in the oxygen consumption at a "fast 2-km walking test". RESULTS: The participants had a mean age of 60.9 +/- 6.5 years (range 50-78 years), 62.5% were males. At the end of the study period (3 months), we found a significant improvement of all the exercise test parameters. CONCLUSIONS: A simple diet and exercise individualized 3 months program--administered by trained personnel--was effective at improving the cardio-respiratory fitness in older people and cardiac patients.