Social support as mental health and obesity prevention: interventions through school settings play activities

THESES

Social support as mental health and obesity prevention. Interventions through school settings play activities. (Abstract)^*. Thesis. Campinas, 2006.

James José de Novaes^**

Several studies indicate that within the next twenty years, half of the global population will be overweight due to the predominating growth of this disorder and the lack of effective preventive measures. The continuing growth in obesity has led to an expansion in the populations’ organic problems, in addition to the psychic ones related to self-esteem and body image. Some investigators point to compulsory eating habits due to anxiety as the main cause of increased obesity. On the other hand, the absence of preventive measures in mental health has led to mental disorders, which currently have become the main public health problem in developed nations. It has been confirmed that application of planned games or playing "activities" can reduce the risk of developing psychopathology and produce an increase in the protective factors over a short time period, this increases the possibility of the application promoting preventive results over the long term.

Two types of planned activities were chosen as a primary preventive program for this study: Art Therapy and "Capoeira" Art (a Brazilian type of self-defense). The children were divided into three groups, as follows: Art Therapy and Physical Education; Capoeira Art and Art Education; and Physical Education and Art Education. These applications of planned games or play activities were used with 245 forth grade children in two public schools in the city of Americana, Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2003. The study included 121 females and 124 males with ages ranging from nine to twelve years. Anthropometric measurements of height ans weight were used to calculate the Body Mass Index (BMI) in order to evaluate overweight and obesity. The risk of developing psychopathology was assessed using the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL); the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale for Children (NSLC); and the Susan Harter Self Perception Profile of Children (SPPC). These tests evaluated the factors of locus of control and self-esteem before and after the application of the activity. These elements are considered to be protective components in mental health.

The results obtained by application of these group activities of Physical Education and Art Education were not significant enough to reduce the risk of developing psychopathology or reducing overweight or obesity. On the other hand, the group of Art Therapy and Physical Education acted only as a form of psychotherapy, significantly decreasing the level of psychopathological symptoms (CBCL), 32% (p<0.05). However, it did not significantly increase the protective mental health elements which does not garantee an effective prevention for this group. Nevertheless, the Capoeira Art and Art Education group achieved the objectives proposed. These students presented a significant reduction of externalization and internalization (CBCL), 58% (p<0.05); as well as a significant increase in self-esteem and internal control, confirming a significant reduction in overweight or obesity (50%), (p<0.05). This correlated with a significant reduction in the risk of developing psychopathology, thereby, establishing a correlation between mental health and obesity.

In this way, the game/playing activities are outstanding as a possible application for programs of primary prevention in public heath. Even though an increase in resistance and a decrease in risk of developing psychopathology and obesity were obtained with the application of these game/playing activities, this is not enough to believe that these children will remain protected over the coming years or in adulthood. This fact is very important for calculating the time of application in the future preventive programs utilizing these game/playing activities. New prospective studies of longer duration are of fundamental importance for establishing the effects of these activities on the prevention of psychopathology and obesity over the long term.

Key Words: child behavior, self-perception, locus of control, obesity, child, adolescent.

*

Suporte social como prevenção em saúde mental e obesidade. intervenções através das atividades lúdicas no cenário escolar (Resumo). Tese de Doutorado, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Área: Saúde da Criança e do Adolescente). Faculdade de Ciências Médicas. Orientador: Rubens Reimão.

**

Address: Rua Domingos Nardini 239, 13465-120 Americana SP, Brasil.

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  02 Aug 2006
• Date of issue
  June 2006