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Review
. 2022 Jan 25;79(3):283-298.
doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2021.10.046.

Lessons Learned From 10 Years of Preschool Intervention for Health Promotion: JACC State-of-the-Art Review

Gloria Santos-Beneit  1 , Rodrigo Fernández-Jiménez  2 , Amaya de Cos-Gandoy  3 , Carla Rodríguez  4 , Vanesa Carral  4 , Patricia Bodega  3 , Mercedes de Miguel  3 , Xavier Orrit  4 , Domenec Haro  4 , José L Peñalvo  5 , Juan Miguel Fernández-Alvira  6 , Carles Peyra  7 , Jaime A Céspedes  8 , Alexandra Turco  9 , Marilyn Hunn  9 , Risa Jaslow  9 , Jorge Baxter  10 , Isabel Carvajal  4 , Valentin Fuster  11
Affiliations
Review

Lessons Learned From 10 Years of Preschool Intervention for Health Promotion: JACC State-of-the-Art Review

Gloria Santos-Beneit et al. J Am Coll Cardiol. .

Abstract

Implementing a health promotion program for children is a complex endeavor. In this review, we outline the key lessons learned over 10 years of experience in implementing the SI! Program (Salud Integral-Comprehensive Health) for cardiovascular health promotion in preschool settings in 3 countries: Colombia (Bogotá), Spain (Madrid), and the United States (Harlem, New York). By matching rigorous efficacy studies with implementation science, we can help bridge the divide between science and educational practice. Achieving sustained lifestyle changes in preschool children through health promotion programs is likely to require the integration of several factors: 1) multidisciplinary teams; 2) multidimensional educational programs; 3) multilevel interventions; 4) local program coordination and community engagement; and 5) scientific evaluation through randomized controlled trials. Implementation of effective health promotion interventions early in life may induce long-lasting healthy behaviors that could help to curb the cardiovascular disease epidemic.

Keywords: cardiovascular disease; child; health promotion; implementation science; lifestyle; prevention.

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Conflict of interest statement

Funding Support and Author Disclosures This work is supported by the SHE Foundation and “la Caixa” Foundation (LCF/CE16/10700001). The project in Colombia was funded by Santo Domingo Foundation; the study in the United States (FAMILIA) was funded by the American Heart Association (grant no. 14SFRN20490315); and the study in Spain (SI! Program) was funded by the SHE Foundation, the research grant FIS-PI11/01885 (Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria del Instituto de Salud Carlos III), and Fundació la Marató de TV3 (369/C/2016). Dr Santos-Beneit is the recipient of grant LCF/PR/MS19/12220001 funded by “la Caixa” Foundation (ID 100010434). Dr Fernández-Jiménez is the recipient of grant PI19/01704 funded by the Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria–Instituto de Salud Carlos III and co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund/European Social Fund “A way to make Europe”/“Investing in your future.” The Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares is supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, and the Pro CNIC Foundation, and is a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence (CEX2020-001041-S). All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose.

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