Nutrition and physical activity attitudes and behaviors of 7th and 9th grade students in selected schools participating in the Healthy Eating, Active Communities (HEAC) initiative in California

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Wendi Gosliner, MPH, RD, Gail Woodward-Lopez, MPH, RD, and Pat Crawford, DrPH, RD. Center for Weight and Health, UC Berkeley, 9 Morgan Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, 510-642-3589, wgosline@berkeley.edu

PURPOSE: To share the results of a large survey of 7th and 9th grade students participating in the Healthy Eating, Active Communities initiative in California. The purpose of the survey is to collect baseline data, which ultimately will be used to measure the impact of expected environmental changes on 7th and 9th grade students. METHODS: One middle school and one high school in each of the 6 communities participating in the Healthy Eating, Active Communities initiative as well as 3 control communities participated in a baseline survey about nutrition and physical activity. Surveys are being administered during the Spring of 2006 and will be collected from more than 5,000 students in low-income schools participating in HEAC in California. FINDINGS: Data from this survey will provide information about the kinds of physical activities in which students are currently engaged, the kinds of foods they eat and where they eat them, the community physical activity venues which students access and utilize, students' perceptions of their school and community environments related to nutrition and physical activity, and their attitudes about nutrition and physical activity.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session, participants will be able to

1. Articulate the opportunities and challenges inherent in collecting quantitative outcome data for broad community-based initiatives.
2. Describe the way in which participating students characterized their school and community environments related to nutrition and physical activity.
3. List the 3 foods and beverages most commonly consumed by participating students, and describe the venue in which they are most often consumed (at school, at home, or elsewhere).

Keywords: Nutrition, Physical Activity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation

Baseline Findings from the Evaluation of The California Endowment Healthy Eating, Active Communities Initiative

The 134th Annual Meeting & Exposition (November 4-8, 2006) of APHA