Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Successes and Barriers in the School Environment

In 2004, Congress reauthorized the Child Nutrition Act and the WIC programs, the law required every school district that participates in the National School Lunch Program to have adopted a local school wellness policy that promotes healthy nutrition and physical activity by July 1, 2006. Although the Act stipulated criteria, the authority to develop and implement such policies was given to the states and localities. Although the writing and implementation of Wellness Policies is taking place across the country, little is know about the successes and challenges. The study titled, “Healthy Eating and Physical Successes and Barriers in the School Environment” will provide some insight.

The study is a qualitative assessment that is being conducted with two-thirds of the school districts in Delaware. It will assess specific factors that have served, or are serving as facilitators and/or barriers to the successful implementation of district's wellness policies. Members each district's Wellness Council and members of their respective school's Wellness Committee members are being interviewed by researchers from Nemours Health and Prevention Services. The results from this qualitative assessment will allow understanding of the day-to-day challenges that districts and schools are facing related to writing, implementing, and the monitoring of their local wellness policies. In addition, results from this study will provide valuable information to other districts and schools, nationwide, in their steps to implement their respective wellness policies. This study will conclude in June 2009 and results will be available for the APHA National Conference.