Cardiovascular
Beating the Odds: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a School-Based Prevention Education Program on Lifestyle Modifications for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Among Adolescents Alina Yang* Alina Yang
Background: Contemporary epidemiological trends indicate escalating cardiovascular risk factors among adolescent populations, necessitating effective preventive interventions. This investigation evaluates the implementation of a comprehensive educational program for secondary school students.
Methods: A randomized controlled trial design was used to assign 858 students aged 14–18 from a suburban high school to either an intervention group (n=429) or a control group (n=429). The intervention group received a year-long CVD prevention curriculum integrated into health classes, including weekly sessions on healthy eating and regular physical activity, supplemented by activities such as cooking demonstrations, fitness challenges, and discussions with professionals. The control group continued with the standard curriculum. We collected data at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and three months post-intervention.
Results: The intervention group showed increased fruit and vegetable intake by 1.5 servings/day (95% CI: 1.2–1.8, p < 0.001) and reduced fast food consumption by 1.1 servings/week (95% CI: 0.9–1.3, p < 0.001). Physical activity increased by 30 minutes/day (95% CI: 25–35, p < 0.001). These changes were associated with a BMI reduction of 0.7 kg/m² (95% CI: 0.5–0.9, p < 0.001), decreases in systolic blood pressure by 2.8 mmHg (p < 0.05), diastolic blood pressure by 1.5 mmHg (p < 0.01), and total cholesterol by 7 mg/dL (p < 0.01). Self-perceived CVD knowledge increased by 20.3 points (95% CI: 18.7–21.9, p < 0.001). The control group showed minimal changes. Qualitative data from 13 focus intervention groups indicated that the program was engaging and informative, and motivated healthier lifestyles.
Conclusions: The intervention demonstrated statistically significant efficacy in modifying cardiovascular risk factors and health behaviors among adolescents, suggesting the viability of school-based preventive cardiology programs for population-level health promotion.