Building partnerships using an ecological approach to promote environmental change for obesity prevention in an elementary school setting

Background: As childhood obesity rates continue to rise, interventions are aiming to impact the various environments in which children live, learn, and play. School-based interventions, especially those that incorporate a multi-level approach, have been successful in changing the health behaviors of children. Purpose: To guide the implementation of a school-based childhood obesity prevention project in a Greater New Orleans Area elementary school, an ecological framework for promoting environmental change was created. The framework describes an integrated approach for addressing childhood obesity and illustrates the need for a multi-sector partnership. Methodology: Stakeholders were identified for each component of the ecological framework. An expert panel and a community advisory group with representation from various sectors including the state health department, YMCA, parish school board, parents, and local businesses were brought together in the early stages of planning. Findings: These groups were effective in identifying how the activities and resources of their individual organizations could be brought together to assist school staff in improving the nutrition and physical activity of students. Conclusions: This partnership building process has shown the necessity of engaging stakeholders early on in the planning phase of an intervention that aims to impact environmental change at multiple levels. Utilization of a guiding framework and inclusion of diverse partners will ensure a broader scope of such a project. Lessons learned here can be useful for schools wanting to launch various new health initiatives, such as creating tobacco-free or asthma-friendly schools and implementation of school wellness policies.