Youth Nutrition and Physical Activity: A Review of Past Initiatives and Areas for Improvement

As part of the 2014–2019 Cancer Plan, Santé publique France is leading Initiative 11.6, which aims to promote education on nutrition and physical activity starting in preschool and elementary school, particularly during after-school hours. To achieve this goal, the agency conducted an assessment of existing initiatives in this area and proposed ways to improve them.

Study Objectives

  1. Conduct a literature review on effective interventions in the areas of nutrition and physical activity targeting children and adolescents;

  2. Identify and describe initiatives implemented in the region and pinpoint promising initiatives;

  3. Compare these data with those from the literature to develop proposals for implementing promising interventions in the areas of prevention and promotion of healthy eating and physical activity.

Key findings from initiatives in France

  • 96% of the initiatives identified address individual determinants

  • 28% address interpersonal determinants (parental involvement, intergenerational workshops, peer-to-peer communication) and 10% address environmental determinants (improving food availability, creating an environment conducive to physical activity)

  • 46% address both diet and physical activity

  • 21% involve parents

  • 68% are implemented in schools

  • 34% last one year or longer

Effectiveness criteria identified in the literature and proposals for implementing promising interventions

Although the diversity of interventions makes them difficult to compare, the literature indicates that effective/promising interventions generally include:

  • Intervention in schools

  • Parental involvement

  • Interventions that combine nutrition and physical activity

  • Interventions integrated into the curriculum

  • Environmental interventions

  • Relatively long duration of the intervention

Comparing these results with the effectiveness criteria identified in the literature suggests the need to encourage initiatives focused on the environment and involving parents.

Outlook

This analysis has highlighted that there is a wide diversity and variability in the interventions developed and that their impact is rarely evaluated. To encourage the implementation of promising and effective interventions, it seems appropriate to build on those that have already demonstrated their effectiveness, by facilitating their rollout.

Santé publique France is currently working on the creation of a national registry that will compile promising/effective initiatives to address various determinants. For each of these initiatives, the necessary information will be provided to field practitioners to implement them. For new initiatives, evaluation must continue to be promoted and considered a priority indicator for funding field initiatives.

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