"O meu coração bate saudável" - Results from a pilot project for health education in Portuguese children.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Childhood offers an excellent window of opportunity to start interventions to promote behavioral changes before unhealthy lifestyles become established, leading to cardiovascular diseases. The goal of this pilot educational project for children is the promotion of healthy lifestyles and cardiovascular health. METHODS: This project was implemented in 4th grade children and included teacher-led classroom activities, a lesson given by a cardiologist and a practical lesson with dietitians. The teacher received a manual containing information on the topics to be discussed in class with the pupils and the children received a book that addresses cardiovascular risk factors and prevention. The components included were diet (D), physical activity (PA) and human body and heart awareness (BH). At the beginning and at the end of the schoolyear, a questionnaire was applied to the children to assess knowledge (K), attitudes (A) and habits (H) on these topics. RESULTS: A total of 73 children from an urban public school in Lisbon, in a low to medium income area, participated in the project. Following the intervention, there was a 9.5% increase in the overall KAH score, mainly driven by the PA component (14.5%) followed by the BH component (12.3%). No improvement was observed for component D. The benefits were also more significant in children from a lower income area, suggesting that socioeconomic status is a determinant in the response obtained. CONCLUSIONS: An educational project for cardiovascular health can be implemented successfully in children aged 9 years, but longer and larger studies are necessary.