Headlines - Nutrition and Physical Activity Among Young People

As part of the 2014–2019 Cancer Plan, Santé publique France is leading Action 11.6, which aims to promote education on nutrition and physical activity starting in preschool and elementary school, particularly during after-school hours. To meet this objective, the agency conducted an assessment of existing initiatives in this area and proposed areas for improvement. The study had three objectives: to conduct a literature review on effective interventions in the areas of diet and physical activity targeting children and adolescents, to identify and describe initiatives implemented across the country and pinpoint promising initiatives, and to compare these data with those from the literature in order to develop proposals for implementing promising interventions in the areas of prevention and promotion of diet and physical activity.The main findings of the study on initiatives carried out in France are as follows: 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, and 34% last one year or longer.Although the diversity of the interventions makes them difficult to compare, the literature indicates that effective/promising interventions generally include: school-based interventions, parental involvement, initiatives combining diet and physical activity, initiatives integrated into the curriculum, environmental interventions, and a 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. This analysis highlighted that there is a wide variety and variability in the initiatives developed and that their impact is rarely evaluated. To encourage the implementation of promising and effective initiatives, it seems appropriate to build on initiatives 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 information necessary for field practitioners to implement them will be provided. For new initiatives, evaluation must continue to be promoted and considered a priority indicator for funding field-level initiatives.