The importance of effective nutrition and physical activity programs for school-aged children to improve eating habits, increase physical activity, and decrease inactivity has been well documented. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) received a collaborative grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI)/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)to evaluate Healthy Choices(HC), a statewide middle school-based nutrition and physical activity program, . HC was piloted in 1994 through a Centers for Disease Control grant (CDC), and addressed areas such as healthy snacking, body image, television viewing, and body size diversity through nutrition projects, media message development, and participation in a variety of physical activities. Based on the pilot results, the MDPH developed a guide, Healthy Choices: A Guide for Designing School-Based Nutrition and Physical Activity Programs based on the Healthy Choices model. Nine Massachusetts middle schools were funded to implement HC. These schools plus five control schools have been enlisted to particpate in the evaluation. The goal is assess the expansion of the Healthy Choices model in different school environments. Process measures include the HC development process in each school, staff competence in implementing the program, feed back from participants and staff, the number of students the program reaches, and areas where program coordinators need external aid in terms of financial resources and technical skills. Impact measures include change in the consumption of fruits and vegetables, number of hours spent watching television, and amount of time spent being physically active. Evaluation results will be presented.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to: 1) List the three public health messages that are the basis of the evaluation 2) Identify characteristics of this program that make it unique in the school setting 3) Describe the final results of the process and outcome evaluation 4) Discuss the barriers and facilitators to implementation of the Healthy Choices program in Massachusetts
Keywords: School-Based Programs, Evaluation
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.