Results of the Series of No-Sweet Food Activities and Sugars Intake of Children in Trang-Pilot Schools

Abstract

Results of the Series of No-Sweet Food Activities and Sugars Intake of Children in Trang-Pilot Schools

Apapunnee Khemwuttipong DDS, MPH (Public Health Administration)

Dental Division, Trang Public Health Office

Objective: To study the effects of a series of no-sweet food activities on sugars intake of children in Trang-pilot schools during the school year 2005-2007.

Study design: Descriptive study.

Subjects: 1,035 students in Prathom 3-4 from 3 private primary schools in Maung District of Trang Province.

Methods: Varieties of activities were designed to educate and to promote the knowledge and attitude to reduce sugars intake of the students. The quantity of sugars intake were periodically monitored for 3 years by questionnaires from the Thai's Sugar Intake Project.

Main outcome measures: Daily sugars intake before and after the activities, percentage of students in Prathom 3-4 who followed the guideline (< 6 tea-spoons of sugar/day).

Results: Mean sugars intake of the students were serially decreased from 84.1 g/day from the first evaluation to 63.5 g/day and 63.2 g/day during the interval evaluations, and to 53.3 g/day at the end of the project. The percentages of students who followed the guideline also increased from 20.6% to 35.7%.

Conclusion: A series of no-sweet food activities have benefits to sugars intake of students. Daily sugars intake was decreased as well as the increased percentages of students who followed the recommended guidline.

Vajira Med J 2008 ; 52 : 139 - 145