Impact of the Mississippi Healthy Students Act on Childhood Obesity

Obesity is a major public health problem in the United States and more prevalent in the Southeastern states. Of all states, Mississippi leads as the most obese with the worst health statistics in the nation, especially the Delta Region. Data reveals that obesity and low levels of physical activity are risk factors for chronic disease. However, there are no studies that have addressed obesity in school-aged children and characterized their physical activity levels. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the Mississippi Healthy Students Act for providing physical activity among schoolchildren. The study population consists of student cohorts from schools in the Mississippi Delta. A cross-sectional study shows the implementation of the local district's State's Healthy Students Act for providing physical activity and the policy's effectiveness. Prospective data will show the level of physical activity among students. Data analyses will utilize process and outcome evaluation measures to evaluate the district's implementation and effectiveness of the program. It is anticipated that students who participate in the study will change their behavior, become more physically active, and become empowered to make informed choices about their own health. The findings from this study will be instructive for policy-makers and schools serving poor and underserved students, provide information on physical education programs, used to promote healthy behaviors among children, and, in the long term prevent obesity and co-morbid conditions and healthcare costs and become a model study for prevention of childhood obesity.