Cool2BFit
Obesity among children is an increasingly serious issue. A survey completed by the Danish Health Authority in 2014 reveals that one in eight children are overweight when they start school [1]. Research indicates that psychological well-being is weakened in overweight children (aged 5–11) compared to children of normal weight [2], and that 70 percent of people who were overweight as children or young adults continue to suffer from the same problem during their adult lives, thus transferring lifestyle issues and health risks from their childhood to their adult years [3].
[1] Figures based on the Danish Health Authority’s Children’s Data from the publication Tracking overweight and early input for children and young people of school age, Danish Health Authority, 2014.
[2] Hughes AR et al. Quality of life in a clinical sample of obese children, Int J Obes (Lond), 2007.
[3] SFI Evaluation of the Danish government fund for preventive initiatives for overweight children and young people, 2016.
Cool2BFit consists of a multifaceted initiative with the emphasis on:
- Physical exercise and play
- Motor function screening
- Weekly follow-ups on challenges for families
- Bespoke dietary guidance, home visits, shared meal preparation and theme evenings for parents
- Intensive work with motivation
- Ongoing focus on well-being
- Strategies for deploying a healthier everyday lifestyle
A short-term impact assessment of a previous version of Cool2BFit comprising the same core elements revealed positive effects on the children’s BMI. This impact assessment was completed in 2014 by Professor Bente Klarlund. The long-term effects of the initiative have not yet been documented.
In 2018, the rights to Cool2BFit were transferred to VIA University College, which will be disseminating the initiative to local authorities in Denmark going forward.
