Abstract: Dissemination of obesity prevention programs in different settings is needed. Moreover, new outreach tools to teach parents healthy eating and exercise lessons provided in these programs are important to develop. The pilot studies presented in this paper examined the implementation of the Children’s Healthy Eating and Exercise Program in two different after school programs in 2015 and 2016. Participants were elementary school-age children and their parents. Eight lessons were presented at each school. Child perceptions of healthy eating and exercise goals were examined as well as child knowledge retention and perceptions of behavior change. Parent perceptions of the program were analyzed. Results indicated that children reported improved knowledge and behaviors. Parents reported satisfaction with the program, but remained hard to reach. Children recalled key components of the healthy eating lessons at long-term follow-up assessments. In the second pilot study, children served as health coaches for teaching parents about family goals. Children believed they were successful at coaching parents, but they requested help in developing family eating and exercise goals. Improving outreach to parents and involving siblings remains a goal for future studies as does beginning to examine changes in eating and physical activity using food diaries and accelerometry.

Keywords:  Prevention, children, obesity, after-school program, motivational interviewing.

Abstract: Objective: To assess the nutritional and hematological status of sickle cell children followed in the department of pediatrics of the Yalgado Ouédraogo University Hospital Centre (CHU-YO).

Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study conducted from September 1, 2017, to February 28, 2018. All children with major sickle cell syndrome followed in the department of pediatrics at the CHU-YO and following their follow-up appointments were included in the study.

Results: We included 230 children aged 11 months to 16 years with an average age of 8.5 years. The sex M/F ratio was 1.09. The SC heterozygotes were the most represented with 56.52%. The average hemoglobin level was 9.39 g/dl. The prevalences of wasting, stunting and underweight were respectively 23.04%, 15.65%, and 13.89%. In univariate analysis, the factors associated with emaciation was hyperleukocytosis (p=0.002).The factors associated with stunting were leukocytosis (p=0.01), severe anemia (p=0.01), SS phenotype (p=0.002), age range of 5-10 years (p=0.007), Secondary (P=0.007) and higher level (p=0.001) of father’s education, secondary (p=0.027) and higher level (p=0.034)of mothers’education , farmer(p=0.003) trader (p=0.042), and informal occupation of father (p = 0.002),and breastfeeding duration after 24 months (p=0.006). For underweight associated factors in univariate analysis were SS phenotype (p=0.003) and severe anemia (p=0.01).

Conclusion: The prevalence of different types of malnutrition deficiency of sickle cell children followed at CHU-YO was high. It is important to strengthen the nutritional monitoring of children with sickle cell disease for better management of the disease.

Keywords:  Nutrition, Children, Sickle Cell Disease, Hematology, CHU-YO.

Abstract: Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of the Children’s Healthy Eating and Exercise Program (CHEE) in an afterschool program of an elementary school.

Methods:Students in a low-income elementary school were recruited to participate in the program. Thirty-three children were in the intervention group. Twenty-four children in the comparison group were recruited from after school clubs in the same elementary school.The CHEE Program consisted of 18 sessions, featuring nutrition (20 min) and physical activity (40 min) lessons. Nutrition lessons were adapted from the Traffic Light Diet. Other lessons included MyPlate, my refrigerator, my lunchbox, and a healthy foods tasting activity. Multiple physical activities were utilized in the program including soccer, dance, relay races, tag, and other fun games. Data were collected at the beginning and end of the program.

Results: Children in both groups reported eating more vegetables at the post-intervention measurement. Children in the intervention group indicated that they learned about healthy eating and new physical activities due to their participation in the program.

Conclusions: Future studies are needed to discover barriers to behavior change as well as apply a more rigorous design to examine the impact of the CHEE Program.

Keywords: Afterschool health education program, low-income children, healthy eating, nutrition education, physical activity.

Abstract: The need for effective community, child weight management interventions continues. The BeeZee Bodies (BZB) family-based child weight management programme for 7-11-year-olds and 12-15–year-olds has been developed iteratively over five years, with quantitative and qualitative evaluations refining the programmes. The aim of this study was to present the experiences and opinions of those taking part in BZB programmes as part of a real world evaluation. Three focus groups, following a semi-structured protocol, were conducted with 20 participants (15 parents, 5 adolescents) 3 months post-intervention. Analyses were thematic, iterative and underpinned by Grounded Theory. Two themes emerged; (1) programme contents, (2) social interactions, with each sub-divided. Parents described increased appreciation of physical activity and dietary components, improvements in parenting and good relationships with personnel. A wide range of positive personal outcomes and changes within the family were perceived by parents and adolescents including: changes in physical activity take-up, eating habits, portion sizes, and an improved understanding of parenting an overweight child. The parenting skills element further enhanced the social cohesion fostered through attendance. There were opportunities to build new friendships for both parents and adolescents, and for parents to interact with their offspring in a different context, all of which supported behaviour change. The BZB programme was viewed by participants as successful and delivered by engaging personnel. Key strengths were social cohesion generated by including parenting sessions and inclusiveness of the physical activities on offer. BZB has been refined in response to qualitative evaluations and reviews and this process continues.

Keywords:Child obesity, evaluation, qualitative, focus groups, social impact.