Early school-based health education reduces abdominal fat accumulation in children
A groundbreaking study by the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) and Fundación SHE, with financial support from “la Caixa” Foundation, has unveiled significant findings regarding the prevention of abdominal fat accumulation in children through early, classroom-based health education. The research, documented in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), underscores the effectiveness of instilling healthy habits from an early age, positioning primary school as a critical stage for impactful health interventions.
Childhood obesity remains a pressing public health issue, with a notable prevalence in socioeconomically vulnerable groups. Addressing this through school-based programmes has shown mixed results, largely due to varying levels of scientific rigour and implementation fidelity. This study examines the efficacy of a structured health education programme during the formative years of primary education in Madrid, focusing on its ability to curb the rise in obesity markers among young children.
The study engaged 1,771 students from 48 public primary schools in the Comunidad de Madrid. These schools were categorised into four distinct groups. The first group participated in a comprehensive health-promotion programme, the SI! Program–Comprehensive Health, over six years, encompassing emotional management, healthy eating habits, active lifestyles, and basic anatomy and cardiovascular knowledge. The next two groups engaged in the same programme but limited to three-year spans; one from the start and another in the final three years. The fourth group received no specific health interventions. The assessment criteria included body mass index, weight gain, and abdominal fat accumulation, measured at three key stages: at the outset, mid-point, and conclusion of the study.
Results indicated that early intervention (first three years of primary school) was significantly more effective in preventing undesirable increases in body mass index and abdominal fat compared to later interventions or no intervention at all. This early intervention group exhibited the least weight gain and abdominal fat accumulation among all cohorts.
The findings advocate for the strategic placement of health education in the early academic curriculum as a preventive tool against childhood obesity. Rodrigo Fernández-Jiménez, head of the Cardiovascular Health and Imaging laboratory at CNIC and co-author of the study, highlighted the unique position of schools as ideal environments for the execution of such health-promotion programmes. He emphasised the absence of adverse effects and the potential widespread benefits of these interventions.
Gloria Santos-Beneit, the Scientific Director of Fundación SHE and lead author of the study, stated, “The results of this study suggest that interventions promoting healthy lifestyle habits can be more effective at reducing childhood obesity if implemented early, in the first years of elementary school.”
Building upon these insights, Dr. Valentín Fuster, Director General of CNIC, announced the initiation of a new study to explore the efficacy of modified and extended versions of the SI! Program. This new study aims to reduce the burden on educators by incorporating “learning bites” and reintervention strategies throughout the elementary school years, potentially enhancing the sustainability and impact of health education.
This extensive study demonstrates the critical role of early, structured health education in preventing the accumulation of abdominal fat in children. By capitalising on the receptive and formative phase of early education, such interventions can provide a foundation for healthier future generations, underscoring the necessity for well-designed, scalable health-promotion programmes in schools.
CNIC operates under the umbrella of the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), linked to the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities. Supported by the Pro-CNIC Foundation, it collaborates with major Spanish private entities, consolidating its mission through a pioneering public-private partnership model. The institution has also been honoured as a Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence, highlighting its pivotal role in cardiovascular research and health promotion.
