Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #110330

P. Agron, MA, RD and Jennifer Kam, MS, RD. California Project LEAN, California Department of Health Services, PO Box 9997413, MS 7211, 1616 Capitol Ave, Sacramento, CA 95814, 916-552-9958, jkam@dhs.ca.gov

Research indicates that most youth are not meeting the Dietary Guidelines for Americans or the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity. The 2000 California Fast Food Survey reported the most common fast foods sold a la carte (individual food items sold in competition with school meals) are pizza, cookies, and chips. A study analyzing the California Department of Education's 2001 Fitnessgram data, found that 39.6% of children are unfit.

California Project LEAN (CPL) has successfully provided training and tools to California schools to improve access to healthier foods and physical activity. CPL's approach focuses on strategies to create healthier school environments through the development of state and local policies. CPL will replicate this technical assistance model to the schools funded as part of the California Endowment's Healthy Eating and Active Communities (HEAC) initiative. This session will describe CPL's comprehensive technical assistance model that includes educating stakeholders, partnership development, community and youth engagement, and conducting environmental assessments. Tools that have been used successfully will be shared including Playing the Policy Game, a guide to engaging youth; The Healthy Food Policy Resource Guide, a tool for school board members; Reaching School Board Members, a manual to help community members communicate to school decision-makers; and several web-based resources.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will be able to describe the strategies used to improve food and physical activity environments in California schools.
• Participants will be ale to identify at least three tools available for schools and communities to use to promote improved nutrition and physical activity school policies.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation