Table 1

The HEIA study: intervention components implemented in the sixth and seventh grades in 12 Norwegian schools in 2007/2008 and 2008/2009

Setting/arenaWhatTimingPurpose
Class (initiated by classroom-teachers)Lessons with student booklet:
1. Diet and physical activity
2. Meals
3. 5 a day
4. Sugar-rich beverages
5. Your choice		Once a month—6th grade winter/springIncrease awareness of behaviour-health relationship, recommended intake levels and own intake
Posters for classrooms:
Key messages, A4-size, placed on a larger ‘frame-poster’ including the HEIA logo		Monthly—throughout the interventionAs a daily reminder of main messages (topic matched fact sheets to parents)
Fruit and vegetable (FV) break:
Cutting equipment per class provided, students brought FV		Once a week–throughout the interventionIncrease FV intake; cut, serve, taste and eat FV with classmates
Physical activity (PA) break:
10 min of PA conducted in regular classrooms, booklet with ideas and CD provided		Once a week—throughout the interventionIncrease PA; introduce PA also outside of PE and by classroom-teachers
Sports equipment for recess activities:
1–2 large boxes per school. Examples of content: Frisbees, jump-ropes, elastic bands, hockey-sticks, a variety of balls		Every day—throughout the intervention (some refill in seventh grade)Increase PA; stimulate PA during recess—especially among those who do not play ball games
Active commuting campaigns:
Register days with active transport to/from school for 3 weeks (5 campaigns)		5×3 weeks: sixth grade: fall, winter and spring
seventh grade: fall, winter		Increase PA; stimulate activity
Pedometer:
One class-set per school to be used in PE (SPARK), as tasks at school, as home assignment and active commuting		Seventh gradeIncrease awareness about PA level; stimulate activity
Computer tailored individual advice

  • 1. Fruit

  • 2. Vegetables

  • 3. Physical activity

  • 4. Screen time

  • 5. Sugar sweetened beverages

+ 1-week action plans for each topic (instruction on what, where and when to do the suggestions for behaviour change)		Seventh grade
Fall
Fall
Winter/spring
Winter/spring
Winter/spring		Increase awareness of;
Recommended intake and PA level
Own intake of FV, PA level and hours of screen time
Received personal advice about what and how to change
Home/parentsFact sheets
Facts on targeted behaviours. Practical tasks/challenges for leisure time/weekends in seventh grade		Monthly—throughout the intervention, one behaviour per fact sheetTo stimulate parents to evaluate and change the home environment with regard to facilitating or regulating the targeted behaviours
Brochures/information sheets
Teachers were provided info sheets about the FV break that they could use to inform parents about these		OnceTo ensure that the fact sheets were read and discussed/applied to the home environment
Brochures:
‘Cutting FV’
‘Meals—a value worth fighting for’. Handed out together with related fact sheets		OnceTo provide knowledge and inspiration.
School-wideKick-off meetings at each school:Teacher manuals presented, practical activities tested, material partially providedOnce a year—sixth and seventh grades (fall), 2–3 h each timeTo inform the school management, teachers, school nurse and parent committees about the project and establish/inform the grade level teachers as the ‘HEIA team’ at school
Inspirational courses for PE teachers
SPARK ideas/principles18		Once a year—sixth and seventh grades (fall), 6 h each timeTeacher training for PE teachers; methods/activities to increase activity time, enjoyment and self-efficacy for all students during PE classes
Resource box for school management
Offer to order free toolbox for cutting and selling FV		OptionalFocus on healthy food/drinks offered in school/during school events
Committee meetings
Meetings with school environment groups/parent committees		OptionalAimed to stimulate easy-to-do changes on the school grounds that could stimulate activity (booklet/ideas provided). Increase awareness of healthy foods and beverages
Leisure time activities (NGO's)*Information folder and offer to receive a resource box with equipment for cutting and selling FVSeventh grade (fall)Create awareness about leisure time activity leaders as role models for dietary habits, to reflect upon availability of food/drinks during practices and events (ie, tournaments, weekend training sessions, etc)

  • *Not successfully implemented.

  • FV, fruits and vegetables; HEIA, HEalth In Adolescents; NGO, non-governmental organisation; PE, physical education.