Catering Companies

Lower Students’ Diabetes Risk

Healthy Study intervention may lower students' diabetes risk

The HEALTHY Study paid for by the National Institutes of Health focused on reducing the likelihood of increased diabetes risk factors.  Better food, intense physical activity and action the key.

The HEALTY Study was a three year middle school prevention trial to reduce risk factors for type 2 diabetes in youth.  The study was conducted through seven centers across the country.  Sixth grade students were recruited and with their parents permission were included in the study. Parents signed informed consent forms and the students gave permission also. The HEALTHY Study followed each student through the sixth, seventh and eight grades.  Nationwide 42 students in middle schools participated in the HEALTHY Study.

“At the beginning of the study, many sixth-graders at both intervention and comparison schools were considered in jeopardy. Nearly half were overweight or obese, 16 percent had elevated fasting blood glucose levels, and nearly 7 percent had elevated fasting insulin levels – all risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes.

At the end of the study, researchers found that the then-eighth-grade students in intervention schools who had been overweight or obese in sixth grade had a 21 percent lower rate of obesity than their counterparts in comparison schools. Students at intervention schools also had lower average levels of fasting insulin and smaller average waist circumferences.”
University of California at Irvine Press Release
Healthier cafeteria food, more intense gym classes lower students’ diabetes risk

Healthier Cafeteria Food

The Nutrition Intervention component was developed to impact all food and beverages made available to the students in the campus environment.  A major part of this was the school breakfast program, school lunch program, after school snack program and the supper program.  Ala Carte areas like snack bars, school stores, vending machines, school fundraisers and classroom parties were also included.

The goals were to lower the average fat content of food served at school, increase the amount of fruits and vegetables consumed per student, limit the amount of calories in desserts and snack foods, limit the fat content of milk, reduce the added sugar beverages and increase grain based foods and grams of fiber.

More Intense Gym Classes

The Physical Education Intervention component was designed to maximize student participation and reduce inactive time during physical education class.

Description of the Behavior Intervention component included in class activities called Fun Learning Activities for Student Health (FLASH).  They were implemented in a variety of classrooms and helped students acquire core knowledge about healthy nutrition and physical activity.

The Communications & Social Marketing intervention used marketing methods and outreach to communicated messages of nutrition, physical education and behavior components this included the HEALTHY ‘brand’.

The study involved a collaborative group of research institutions including: Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX; George Washington University in Washington, D.C.; Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, OR; Temple University in Philadelphia, PA; University of California at Irvine, CA; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; and University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX.

Funding for this study came from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and National Institutes of Health.  Additional support came from the American Diabetes Association.

For more information visit HealthyStudy.org