ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Public Health
Sec. Public Health Education and Promotion
This article is part of the Research TopicIntegration of physical activity for academic excellence and health promotion in adolescents and school childrenView all 8 articles
The Role of Teachers in the Prevention and Management of Childhood Obesity Among School-Aged Children in Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study
Provisionally accepted
- 1Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Department of Global and International Health, Kumasi, Ghana
- 2Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology department of Health Promotion and Disabilities, Kumasi, Ghana
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ABSTRACT Background: School-based interventions have been widely used in the prevention and control of childhood obesity. Teachers, as pivotal figures in child development, are strategically situated to aid in this process. Nonetheless, there is limited evidence regarding their role, awareness, and contribution to childhood obesity in Ghana. This study evaluated the role of teachers in the prevention and management of childhood obesity in Ghana. Materials and Methods: This quantitative, cross-sectional study included 74 teachers selected through convenience sampling from public schools in the Oforikrom Municipality of Kumasi, the capital of Ghana's Ashanti Region. Data were gathered using a structured pre-tested questionnaire and analyzed using the R programming software. Binary logistic regression was performed to identify the factors associated with teacher's participation in childhood obesity prevention programs. Results: The study revealed that 46% of teachers were familiar with childhood obesity with only 33.8% of teachers familiar with its causes. Significant institutional hurdles included resource restrictions (46%), insufficient training (24.3%), and time constraints (12.2%). Chi-square analysis revealed that teachers' participation in childhood obesity prevention was significantly associated with socioeconomic conditions (p = 0.016), challenges faced (p = 0.022), perception of physical activity (p = 0.012), physical education practices (p = 0.006), outdoor play promotion (p = 0.026), health screenings (p = 0.002), healthy eating education (p = 0.002), and counseling practices (p < 0.001). However, the multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed no statistically significant determinants of teachers' participation. Conclusion: The results highlight the necessity for specific measures, including professional development initiatives, institutional policy modifications, and resource distribution, to improve teachers' ability to combat childhood obesity. Policymakers ought to incorporate comprehensive school health initiatives into the curriculum, prioritizing physical exercise and nutritious food.
Keywords: Childhood Obesity, school-based interventions, teachers, Public Health, Ghana
Received: 15 Oct 2025; Accepted: 19 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Kayitesi, Tagoe and Acheampong. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Chantal Kayitesi, kayitesic348@gmail.com
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