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School nurses' perceptions of childhood obesity
J H Price1, S M Desmond, E S Ruppert
1Dept. of Health Promotion and Human Performance, University of Toledo, OH 43606.
The Journal of School Health
|October 1, 1987
Summary
School nurses recognize the importance of healthy weight for children but feel ill-equipped to manage childhood obesity. They advocate for enhanced school health programs and policies to combat this growing public health issue.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Health Education
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a significant public health concern.
- The role of school nurses in addressing childhood obesity is critical but often underestimated.
- Existing school health programs may lack comprehensive strategies for weight management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess school nurses' perceptions regarding childhood obesity.
- To understand school nurses' perceived roles and challenges in managing childhood obesity.
- To identify potential areas for improvement in school-based obesity prevention and intervention.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire was distributed to a random sample of 250 school nurses from the American School Health Association.
- An 88% response rate was achieved, providing a robust dataset for analysis.
- The survey explored beliefs about healthy weight, the role of school nurses, barriers to counseling, and desired school interventions.
Main Results:
- A vast majority (85%) of nurses believe normal weight is crucial for children's health and that school nurses should be role models (77%).
- Most nurses find counseling on weight loss difficult (71%) and feel schools need to increase efforts against childhood obesity (65%).
- While 75% support comprehensive health curricula including nutrition and weight control, and eliminating "junk food," only 25% felt competent to prescribe weight loss programs.
Conclusions:
- School nurses acknowledge the importance of healthy weight but express skepticism about children's and their own capacity to manage weight loss effectively.
- There is a perceived need for schools to play a more active role in addressing childhood obesity.
- Enhancing school nurses' training, resources, and support systems is essential for effective childhood obesity interventions.