Topic: Obesity, Nutrition/Diet, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior
Target Population: Adolescents
Sector: School-Based
This program is for adolescent girls who are in their 2nd or 3rd year of high school.
Healthy Habits, Healthy Girls, a school-based program, is designed to teach adolescent girls about the benefits of good nutrition and engaging in physical activity and offer opportunities for girls to be active during the school day.
A randomized trial was conducted in 10 schools in Brazil. Immediately after the program, no differences were found between schools for waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), or BMI z scores. However, the intervention group reported significantly greater reductions in computer use during weekend days and total sedentary activities on weekends and significant increases in vegetable and fruit intake. At 6-months post program, no significant differences between schools were found for BMI or waist circumference. Girls from the intervention and control groups increased waist circumference, but a significantly higher increase was found in the control group. At 6-months post program, the intervention group was significantly more likely to spend time watching TV on weekdays and weekends and in total sedentary behaviors. Additionally, at 6-months post program, significant effects for healthy-eating social support, healthy-eating strategies, and healthy-eating environment were seen among the intervention group, but the intervention group was significantly more likely to report unhealthy weight-control behaviors compared to the control group.
Healthy Habits, Healthy Girls is based on NEAT Girls* and includes the following components:
*A separate fact sheet is available for this program.
A randomized controlled trial was conducted in 2014. The extent to which the program has been used since this trial is unknown.
Physical-education and classroom teachers deliver the enhanced physical-education classes and weekly, physical-activity and nutrition messages. Teachers may attend a 2-day workshop to help them deliver the program. Two registered dietitians deliver interactive seminars and nutrition workshops, and they do not need to attend any special training.
Considerations for implementing this program include acquiring buy-in from school administrators, teachers, parents, and students; recruiting facilitators and dietitians; finding time in an existing curriculum to deliver program content; locating space and, possibly, equipment (e.g., jump ropes) for physical activities; obtaining space and supplies for food preparation activities; realizing funds may be needed to purchase some materials (e.g., food supplies); and understanding the program is only for girls and has only been implemented in Brazil.
The Clearinghouse can help address these considerations. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
If you are interested in implementing Healthy Habits, Healthy Girls, the Clearinghouse is interested in helping you!
Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
The program lasts 6 months. Time varies for the main program elements listed in the Components section. For example, physical-activity sessions during recess occur twice a week for 20 minutes for 7 weeks. Weekly nutrition and physical-activity messages occur for 10 to 15 minutes once a week for 10 weeks, and each seminar is 60 minutes long.
Information about implementation costs was not located; however, supplies, such as food for nutrition workshops and equipment for physical-education classes, may need to be purchased.
To move Healthy Habits, Healthy Girls to the Promising category on the Clearinghouse Continuum of Evidence, at least one evaluation should be performed demonstrating positive effects lasting at least six months from program completion.
The Clearinghouse can help you develop an evaluation plan to ensure the program components are meeting your goals. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
Contact the Clearinghouse with any questions regarding this program.
Phone: 1-877-382-9185 Email: Clearinghouse@psu.edu
You may also contact Sonia Tucunduva Philippi by phone 55 11 3062-6748 or email philippi@usp.br or Ana Carolina Barco Leme by email acarol.leme@gmail.com
Leme et al. (2016) and Leme, Baranowski, Thompson, Niklas, and Philippi (2018).
Barco Leme, A. C., Philippi, S. T., & Fisberg, R. M. (2020). Changes in diet quality 6 and 12 months post-intervention: The Healthy Habits, Healthy Girls: A Brazilian study. Revista De Nutrição, 33 https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-9865202033E190184
Leme, A. C. B., Baranowski, T., Thompson, D., Nicklas, T., & Philippi, S. T. (2018). Sustained impact of the “Healthy Habits, Healthy Girls – Brazil” school-based randomized controlled trial for adolescents living in low-income communities. Preventive Medicine Reports, 10, 346-352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.04.013
Leme, A. C. B., Lubans, D. R., Guerra, P. H., Dewar, D., Toassa, E. C., & Philippi, S. T. (2016). Preventing obesity among Brazilian adolescent girls: Six-month outcomes of the Healthy Habits, Healthy Girls–Brazil school-based randomized controlled trial. Preventive Medicine, 86, 77-83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.01.020
Leme, A. C. B., Philippi, S. T., Thompson, D., Nicklas, T., & Baranowski, T. (2019). “Healthy Habits, Healthy Girls—Brazil”: An obesity prevention program with added focus on eating disorders. Eating and Weight Disorders, 24(1), 107-119. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-018-0510-5
Leme, A. C. B., & Philippi, S. T. (2015). The “Healthy Habits, Healthy Girls” randomized controlled trial for girls: Study design, protocol, and baseline results. Cadernos De Saúde Pública, 31(7), 1381-1394. https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-311X00136014
