Arts & Social Sciences
Te Kura Kete Aronui

Abstract

Griffin, K. (1993). The Princess of Wales Children's Health Camp's obesity programme: An evaluation. Unpublished Master of Social Science Thesis. Hamilton: University of Waikato.

A process and outcome evaluation of the obesity programme run by the Princess of Wales Children's Health Camp was conducted. The purpose of the evaluation was to assess the appropriateness of the obesity programme offered by the health camp and on-site school, together with its effectiveness and long term benefits to children. Thirty-eight children completed the nine-week obesity programme. Specifically, the evaluation was to compare two groups of overweight children after their nine week stay at camp: those whose parents received the parent education seminar ('parent-education seminar' group) and those whose parents did not ('no-seminar' group). Both groups received monthly follow-ups for a period of six months.

Both the camp and the on-site school shared the responsiblity of providing children with a programme that addressed a variety of issues associated with obesity, such as low self-esteem, low self-confidence, poor peer relationships, inappropriate social behaviour, inadequate hygiene and grooming, an poor diet and nutritional habit. In addition, the on-site school provided children with a compulsory an intensive daily exercise programme. Children also participated in an after school recreational exercise programme provided by the camp staff.

While on camp children received diet that contained a variety of foods, suitable for the nutritional needs of growing children, that was served in three meals a day plus snacks. Camp staff believe that a realistic approach to eating is more likely to produce sustainable results than removing foods from the diet that have become an entrenched part of our society, such as fastfoods, sweets and puddings.

During the nine week camp, 38 children recorded an average weight-loss of 6.78 kilograms, with a range from 2.65 to 14.8 kilograms. However, lack of support after completing the camp programme was seen as a barrier for many children in maintaining long term weight-loss in the home environment.

After extensive monthly follow-ups on 26 of the 38 families, evaluation findings revealed that the critical factor for children's weight-loss maintenance six months after leaving camp and returning home was the amount of family and community support they received. Commitment to supporting children's weight-loss plan existed in two-parent and single-parent families from both the 'parent-education seminar' group and the 'no-seminar' group. No differences were found between Māori an Pakeha children during the six month follow-up period.

Children's mean weight/height ratio scores, six months after leaving camp, showed that greater weight-loss maintenance was achieved by children whose parents attended the parent education seminar held at the end of the obesity programme by camp staff. Most children had made significant progress in their social skills development as a result of their attendance at health camp and the support they had received.