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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Cynthia S. Searcy, PhD Candidate, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, 426 Eggers Hall, Syracuse, NY 13210, 315-443-4606, cssearcy@maxwell.syr.edu and Beth C. Weitzman, PhD, Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, New York University, 295 Lafayette Street, Room 3028, New York, NY 10012.

The prevalence of obesity among children and youth has more than doubled in the past 30 years. In response to this problem, obesity curbing policies directed at schools—such as eliminating vending machines or increasing physical education requirements—are under consideration in 43 states. Despite schools being compelling places to intervene in children's lives, robust evidence on the effectiveness of many proposed interventions in schools is lacking. In fact, few interventions are grounded in research that identifies specific school policies and practices that influence student eating and exercise behaviors. The primary objective of this research is to explore the relationships between student behaviors and their school environments using a new data source well suited to address this issue. These data were collected as a component of the Urban Health Initiative evaluation (UHI) conducted by New York University to assess health and safety outcomes for children in five urban areas—Baltimore, Detroit, Oakland, Philadelphia, and Richmond. Combined with supplementary survey data on policies and practices collected from schools identified in the UHI dataset, this research seeks empirical evidence to support (or reject) propositions that student eating and physical activities at school are related to the food and physical education policies that exist in these schools. The second, exploratory stage of this analysis will estimate the impact of student eating and exercise behaviors at school on body mass index, controlling for a rich set of parental and home characteristics.

Learning Objectives: Following this presentation, the participant will be able to

• Discuss school policies and practices that are being implemented in the United States to address the rising prevalence of adolescent obesity.
• Identify policies and practices that are associated with adolescent eating and exercise behaviors at school (i.e. Are vending machines associated with an increase in snacking at school?).
• Begin to assess whether adolescent eating and exercise behaviors at school are contributing to adolescent obesity.

Keywords: Obesity, Adolescent Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered