A simple eight-week educational program significantly lowered cholesterol levels of elementary schoolchildren with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, according to a National Institute of Nursing Research–sponsored study (Pediatrics. 1998;102:371-380).
The study involved 422 third- and fourth-graders with at least two CVD risk factors: low aerobic power (indicating physical inactivity) and either high serum cholesterol level or obesity. The children, from 18 schools across the state, were divided into three groups: a classroom-based intervention group, a risk-based intervention group (involving small groups of children with CVD risk factors), or a control group.
In schools randomly assigned to the classroom-based intervention, regular classroom teachers provided twice-weekly instruction (using a school educational program from the American Heart Association) about selecting heart-healthy foods and the importance of regular exercise. The children also participated in a physical education program that included 20 minutes of aerobic activity three times each week.
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