“Join the Healthy Boat” Program

Initiative Description: Program includes classroom and homework activities, active breaks, and material for parental involvement. The program aims at a reduction of screen media use and intake of sugar-sweetened beverages on the one hand, and at an increase in physical activity on the other hand.
Baseline data collection was conducted at the beginning of the academic year 2010/11, follow-up measurements took place after a one year intervention period in fall 2011.

Study Results: Children in the intervention group had a significantly higher reduction in sick days.

Reference: Kesztyüs, D., Lauer, R., Traub, M., Kesztyüs, T., & Steinacker, J. M. (2016). Effects of statewide health promotion in primary schools on children’s sick days, visits to a physician and parental absence from work: a cluster-randomized trial. BMC Public Health, 16(1), 1-9. doi:10.1186/s12889-016-3903-2

Level of Evidence: Very Good