Prevalence of overweight and obesity and possible effect of intervention program: Tunisian children as model

The potential benefits from the reduction of excessive weight levels among the general population are of considerable public health importance. Early intervention against selected risk factors is a principle key in the prevention of chronic diseases. In this context, a number of school-based interventions to promote healthy lifestyles have been implemented globally in response to the WHO health promotion initiatives. In Tunisia, most studies have primarily focused on the principal determinants of overweight and obese school children. A number of intervention programs for school children have been implemented in different regions and similarly show that supplemental educative program interventions result in only substantive improvements with regard to knowledge, and behavior intent, in the children intervention group (p < 0.05) with no significant effect on their body composition. Therefore, more elaborate, multidisciplinary interventions (education, diet and endurance programs) are recommended to have a significant effect on the health of Tunisian children.