# Development and validation of a health education module for parents of schoolchildren with overweight and obesity in the UAE

## TL;DR

This paper presents a new educational module for parents of overweight schoolchildren in the UAE to help combat childhood obesity.

## Contribution

A culturally relevant, validated health education module for parents of overweight UAE schoolchildren is developed and tested.

## Key findings

- The module achieved high content and face validity scores (S-CVI/Ave = 0.97, S-FVI/Ave = 0.99).
- The module includes 25 infographic messages on diet, physical activity, behavior change, and family engagement.
- Feedback led to language refinement, improved illustrations, and removal of outdated elements like the Food Pyramid.

## Abstract

Childhood overweight and obesity continue to rise globally and in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), underscoring the need for accessible, evidence-based parental education tools.

This study aims to develop and validate a health educational module (HEM) tailored for parents of schoolchildren with overweight and obesity in the UAE.

The study was conducted in two phases: module development, and content and face validation. The module development involved an extensive review of national and international guidelines and previous research, followed by the design of infographic-based educational messages. Content and Face Validity were performed by six nutrition experts and 16 parents, respectively, using the Content Validity Index (CVI) and Face Validity Index (FVI).

The final HEM consisted of 25 infographic messages covering dietary intake, physical activity, behavior change, and family engagement. The module achieved excellent content validity (S-CVI/Ave = 0.97) and face validity (S-FVI/Ave = 0.99). Participant feedback resulted in language refinement, improved illustrations, and removal of outdated elements such as the Food Pyramid.

The validated HEM is culturally relevant, parent-friendly, and scientifically grounded. It offers a structured, high-quality educational tool suitable for use in research, school-based initiatives, and public-health programs aimed at reducing childhood obesity in the UAE.