Generation Healthy Kids: Forging a Holistic Path to Sustainable Physical Activity through Implementation Perspectives

Childhood obesity poses major threats to children's overall well-being and long-term physical health. In Denmark, the prevalence of overweight and obesity increases from early childhood through elementary school, eventually reaching worrying levels in adults. This underscores the urgent need for early prevention and comprehensive strategies to address the multifaceted factors contributing to childhood obesity.
Enter "Generation Healthy Kids" (GHK) – a holistic intervention program aimed at promoting healthy weight development in Danish children aged 6–11. GHK engages 24 schools across diverse regions, enrolling students in 1st–2nd grade. GHK adopts a multifaceted approach, targeting a range of settings, including households, schools, after-school clubs, and local communities. Furthermore, GHK places significant emphasis on fostering local engagement and building capacity. This approach involves national and local stakeholders in the development and implementation of the intervention, promoting child health and overall well-being. GHK addresses dietary habits, screen time, sleep routines, and physical activity.
Specifically, this study focuses organizational and leadership aspects that is hypothesized to support sufficient implementation of physical activity in relation to GHK. The success of GHK hinges, among other things, on comprehensive organizational efforts, which this study explores through various in-depth analysis. Our evaluation efforts expand to encompass understanding the causal mechanisms and contextual factors that shape GHK's outcomes, assessing the potential for long-term sustainability and scalability. We draw upon key concepts from the Consolidated Framework of Implementation Research (CFIR) to illuminate the intricate dynamics and challenges involved in this holistic intervention.
Our research includes surveys and semi-structured interviews with the main and department leaders as well as teaching staff at the participating schools to gain insights into their schools' organizational capacity for successful implementation. We explore their knowledge, structures, attitudes, willingness, and personnel, all influencing the effective deployment of GHK. Interviews are conducted at critical junctures over the two-year span of the project. Specifically, we explore school leader perspectives as they commence planning, implementing, and upholding the intervention.
As the GHK project is still in its early stages, results are forthcoming. Yet by examining these facets within GHK's organizational context, we aim to contribute to knowledge supporting strategies for physical activity in the lives of children and adolescents. The goal is to guide more effective and sustainable health interventions, forging a rounded path toward a healthier future for the younger generation.