Participant perceptions of the effectiveness and feasibility of implementing SB 19/56, the California Pupil Nutrition, Health and Achievement Act of 2001


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

4310.0: Tuesday, December 13, 2005 - 4:47 PM

Abstract #115341

Gail M. Woodward-Lopez, MPH, RD¹, Sarah Kim¹, Mary V. Lussier, MPH, RD², and Patricia B. Crawford, DrPH, RD³. (1) Center for Weight and Health, University of California, Berkeley, 3 Giannini Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-3100, 510-642-1599, gwlopez@nature.berkeley.edu, (2) Nutrition Services Division, California Department of Education, 560 J St. Suite 270, Sacramento, CA 95814, (3) Department of Nutritional Sciences and Center for Weight and Health, University of California, Berkeley, 9 Morgan Hall, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3104

In response to the obesity epidemic the California legislature passed the Pupil Nutrition, Health and Achievement Act of 2001 (SB 19/56). As a result, the California Departments of Education (CDE) and Food and Agriculture (CDFA) provided grants to 16 middle and high schools in 9 school districts to pilot test the implementation of SB 19/56. The district-based teams gained valuable insight into the appropriateness and feasibility of implementing the SB 19 requirements that could be useful in the crafting of future legislation. As one part of a multi-component evaluation design, 47 team members from the 9 districts completed a questionnaire to assess the degree to which their district implemented each component of the legislation and the appropriateness of including these components in future legislation. Most pieces of the legislation were successfully implemented by the participating districts, with a few notable exceptions. Most members supported retaining and even strengthening most of the legislative requirements. An overview of the quantitative findings will be presented as well as a discussion of the qualitative data concerning the challenges they encountered, their concerns about the legislation, and their recommendations for modifications.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this presentation, the participant will be able to

1. Identify key elements of the the Pupil Nutrition, Health and Achievement Act of 2001 (SB 19/56)
2. Describe the extent to which middle and high schools were able to comply with SB 19/56
3. Describe the challenges, successes and lessons learned from 9 school districts' attempts to implement SB 19/56
4. Discuss the implications for crafting future legislation.

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.

What Can California Teach Us about Policy Interventions in Schools?

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA