Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T22:06:21.941Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Adolescent understanding of DOHaD concepts: a school-based intervention to support knowledge translation and behaviour change

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 July 2012

J. L. Bay*
Affiliation:
The Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand National Research Centre for Growth and Development, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
H. A. Mora
Affiliation:
The Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand National Research Centre for Growth and Development, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
D. M. Sloboda
Affiliation:
The Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand National Research Centre for Growth and Development, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
S. M. Morton
Affiliation:
The Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand National Research Centre for Growth and Development, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
M. H. Vickers
Affiliation:
The Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand National Research Centre for Growth and Development, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
P. D. Gluckman
Affiliation:
The Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand National Research Centre for Growth and Development, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
*
*Address for correspondence: J. Bay, Liggins Education Network for Science, Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.(Email [email protected])

Abstract

A life-course approach to reduction of risk of non-communicable diseases (NCD) suggests that early-life interventions may be more effective than lifestyle modifications in middle age. Knowledge translation to develop understanding of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) within the community offers the potential to encourage informed diet and lifestyle choices supporting reduction of NCD risk in current and future generations. Many women do not make sustained dietary change before or during pregnancy, therefore appropriate nutritional behaviours need to be established prior to adulthood. This makes adolescence an appropriate stage for interventions to establish suitable dietary and lifestyle behaviours. Therefore, we engaged adolescents in a school-based educational intervention, and assessed the value of this in development of understanding of DOHaD concepts to support behaviour change that could lead to NCD risk reduction in the next generation. Modules of course work were written for 11–14 year olds and trialled in nine schools. Matched pre- and post-intervention questionnaire responses from 238 students and 99 parents, and post-intervention interviews evaluated the intervention. Understanding of a link between maternal diet during pregnancy and the health of the foetus in adulthood increased from 46% to 76% following intervention. Post-intervention evidence suggests the programme facilitated discussion of diet, lifestyle and DOHaD concepts in most families. The intervention was effective in improving understanding of DOHaD concepts and in some cases led to appropriate behaviour change. However, the sustainability of these changes remains to be determined through on-going evaluation of attitudes and behaviour within this cohort.

Type
Original Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease 2012 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Gluckman, PD, Hanson, MA. The developmental origins of health and disease: an overview. In Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (eds. Gluckman PD, Hanson MA), 2006; pp. 1–5. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2.Gluckman, PD, Hanson, MH, Low, FM. The role of developmental plasticity and epigenetics in human health. Birth Defects Res (Part C). 2011; 93, 1218.Google Scholar
3.Barker, DJ. The developmental origins of adult disease. J Am Coll Nutr. 2004; 23, 588S595S.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Gluckman, PD, Hanson, MH, Beedle, AS. Early life events and their consequences for later disease: a life history and evolutionary perspective. Am J Hum Biol. 2007; 19, 119.Google Scholar
5.Catalano, PM, Ehrenberg, HM. The short- and long-term implications of maternal obesity in the mother and her offspring. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 2006; 113, 11261133.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6.Li, M, Sloboda, DM, Vickers, MH. Maternal obesity and developmental programming of metabolic disorders in offspring: evidence from animal models. Exp Diabetes Res. 2011; 2011, 592408, 9pp.Google Scholar
7.United Nations Children's Fund and World Health Organization. Low Birth-weight: Country, Regional and Global Estimates, 2004. UNICEF: New York.Google Scholar
8.Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Health at a Glance 2011: OECD Indicators, 2011. OECD Publishing, Paris.Google Scholar
9.Finucane, MM, Stevens, GA, Cowan, MJ, et al. National, regional, and global trends in body-mass index since 1980: systematic analysis of health examination surveys and epidemiological studies with 960 country-years and 9.1 million participants. Lancet. 2011; 377, 557567.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.World Health Organization. 2008–2013 Action Plan for the Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, 2008. World Health Organization: Geneva.Google Scholar
11.Beaglehole, R, Bonita, R, Horton, R, et al. Priority actions for the non-communicable disease crisis. Lancet. 2011; 377, 14381447.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12.Heckman, JJ. The economics, technology, and neuroscience of human capability formation. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2007; 104, 1325013255.Google Scholar
13.Godfrey, KM, Gluckman, PD, Hanson, MA. Developmental origins of metabolic disease: life course and intergenerational perspectives. Trends Endocrin Met. 2010; 21, 199205.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14.Crozier, SR, Robinson, SM, Godfrey, KM, Cooper, C, Inskip, HM. Women's dietary patterns change little from before to during pregnancy. J Nutr, Nutr Epidemiol. 2009; 139, 19561963.Google Scholar
15.Pick, ME, Edwards, M, Moreau, E, Ryan, EA. Assessment of diet quality in pregnant women using the healthy eating index. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005; 105, 240246.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16.Morton, SMB, Atatoa Carr, PE, Grant, CC, on behalf of the Growing Up team. Growing Up in New Zealand: A Longitudinal Study of New Zealand Children and their Families. Report 1: Before we are born, 2010. Growing Up in New Zealand: Auckland.Google Scholar
17.Watson, PE, McDonald, BW. Major influences on nutrient intake in pregnant New Zealand women. Matern Child Health J. 2009; 13, 695706.Google Scholar
18.Robinson, SM, Crozier, SR, Borland, SE, et al. Impact of educational attainment on the quality of young women's diets. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2008; 58, 11741180.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19. Statistics New Zealand. Teenage fertility in New Zealand. Key Statistics 2003 September, 9–13. Retrieved 29 November 2011 from http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/births/teenage-fertility-in-nz.aspxGoogle Scholar
20.World Health Organization (WHO). Adolescent pregnancy: a culturally complex issue. Bull World Health Organ. 2009; 8, 410411.Google Scholar
21.World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Countdown to 2015 Decade Report (2000–2010): Taking Stock of Maternal, Newborn and Child Survival, 2010. World Health Organization: Washington, DC.Google Scholar
22.World Health Organization (WHO). Health Promotion Glossary WHO/HPR/98.1, 1998. WHO: Geneva.Google Scholar
23.Nutbeam, D. Health literacy as a public health goal: a challenge for contemporary health education and communication strategies into the 21st century. Health Promot Int. 2000; 15, 259267.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
24.Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The PISA 2003 Assessment Framework – Mathematics, Reading, Science, and Problem Solving Knowledge and Skills, 2003. OECD: Paris, France.Google Scholar
25.Ashfield-Wayy, PAL. Fruits and vegetables, 5+ a day: are we getting the message across? Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2006; 15, 245252.Google Scholar
26.Bauman, A, McLean, G, Hurdle, D, et al. Evaluation of the national ‘Push Play’ campaign in New Zealand – creating population awareness of physical activity. N Z Med J. 2003; 116, 535.Google Scholar
27.European Commission (EU). MASIS Report Challenging Futures of Science in Society – Emerging Trends and Cutting-edge Issues, 2009. European Commission Directorate General for Research: Brussels.Google Scholar
28.Lemke, J. Articulating communities: Sociocultural perspectives on science education. J Res Sci Teach. 2001; 38, 296316.Google Scholar
29.Miller, R, Osborne, J. Beyond 2000: Science Education for the Future, 1998. King's College: London.Google Scholar
30.Osborne, J. Towards a science education for all: the role of ideas, evidence and argument. In Australian Council for Educational Research Conference Proceedings (eds. Glascodine C, Hoad K), 2006. ACER: Victoria.Google Scholar
31.Holbrook, J, Rannikmae, M. The nature of science education for enhancing scientific literacy. Int J Sci Educ. 2007; 29, 13471362.Google Scholar
32.Abd-El-Khalick, F, Bell, RL, Lederman, NG. The nature of science and instructional practice: making the unnatural natural. Science Education. 1998; 82, 417437.Google Scholar
33.Grace, M, Bay, JL. Developing a pedagogy to support science for health literacy. Asia Pac Forum Sci Learn Teach. 2011; 12, Foreword, 113.Google Scholar
34.Bay, JL, Mora, HA. Me, Myself, My Environment: Nutrition, New Zealand Curriculum Level 4, 2010. Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland: Auckland.Google Scholar
35.Bay, JL, Mora, HA. Me, Myself, My Environment: Nutrition, New Zealand Curriculum Level 4 Teacher Resource, 2010. Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland: Auckland.Google Scholar
36.Bay, JL, Mora, HA. Me, Myself, My Environment: Growing Up, New Zealand Curriculum Level 5 Teacher Resource, 2009. Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland: Auckland.Google Scholar
37.Ministry of Education (MoE). The New Zealand Curriculum for English-medium teaching and learning in years 1–13, 2007. Learning Media: Wellington.Google Scholar
38.Bay, JL, Sloboda, DM. Gene Expression and Epigenetics, LENScience Senior Biology Seminar Series, 2008–2011. Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland: Auckland. http://lens.auckland.ac.nz/index.php/Gene_Expression_and_EpigeneticsGoogle Scholar
39.Bay, JL, Sloboda, DM, Vickers, MH. Feast or Famine: Environment, Gene Expression and Evolution, 2008; pp. 1–4. LENScience, Liggins Institute, University of Auckland: Auckland. http://lens.auckland.ac.nz/images/b/bf/Feast_or_Famine_2009.pdfGoogle Scholar
40.Bay, JL, Sloboda, DM. Feast or famine: exploring the impact of environment on gene expression and evolution, 2nd edn. LENScience Senior Biology Seminar Series 2009 [Interactive Television Series] (eds Bay JL, Hamilton R, Hedge DRL), 2009. Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland: Auckland. Retrieved 18 June 2009 from http://digitool.auckland.ac.nz/R/-?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=290436&silo_library=GEN01Google Scholar
41.Bay, JL, Sloboda, DM, Hampton, M, Vickers, MH. Feast or Famine: Understanding Gene Expression, 2010; pp. 1–10. LENScience, Liggins Institute, University of Auckland: Auckland. http://lens.auckland.ac.nz/images/9/9b/Understanding_Gene_Expression_2010.pdfGoogle Scholar
42.Bay, JL, Mora, HA. Year 9–10: Me-Myself-My Environment, A Healthy Start to Life: Growing Up, 2009. LENScience, Liggins Institute, University of Auckland: Auckland. http://www.lenscience.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/home/about/programmes/face-to-face/healthy-start-to-life-growing-upGoogle Scholar
43.Bay, JL, Mora, HA. Year 7–9: Me-Myself-My Environment, A Healthy Start to Life: Nutrition, 2009. LENScience, Liggins Institute, University of Auckland: Auckland. http://www.lenscience.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/home/about/programmes/face-to-face/healthy-start-to-life-nutritionGoogle Scholar
44.Teddie, C, Yu, F. Mixed methods sampling: a typology with examples. J Mixed Methods Res. 2007; 1, 77100.Google Scholar
45. Ministry of Education (MoE). Education Counts: Directories, New Zealand Schools; 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2009 from http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/directories/list-of-nz-schoolsGoogle Scholar
46.Ministry of Education. New Zealand Education: Deciles, 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2009 from http://www.minedu.govt.nz/NZEducation/EducationPolicies/Schools/SchoolOperations/Resourcing/OperationalFunding/Deciles.aspxGoogle Scholar
51.Rockett, HR, Breitenbach, M, Frazier, AL, et al. Validation of a youth/adolescent food frequency questionnaire. Prev Med. 1997; 26, 808816.Google Scholar
52.Norman, GJ, Carlson, JA, Sallis, JF, et al. Reliability and validity of brief psychosocial measures related to dietary behaviours. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2010; 7, 56.Google Scholar
53.Collins, CE, Watson, J, Burrows, T. Measuring dietary intake in children and adolescents in the context of overweight and obesity. Int J Obes. 2010; 34, 11031115.Google Scholar
54.Brener, ND, Billy, JOG, Grady, WR. Assessment of factors affecting the validity of self-reported health risk behaviour among adolescents: evidence from the scientific literature. J Adolesc Health. 2003; 22, 436457.Google Scholar
55.Maddison, R, Turley, M, Legge, N, Mitchelhill, G. A National Survey of Children and Young People's Physical Activity and Dietary Behaviours in New Zealand: 2008/09 Technical Report. Clinical Trials Unit, University of Auckland, 2010.Google Scholar