A success story in collaboration: NC agencies partner with schools on obesity prevention through NC School Health Connection

Background: One in three children in North Carolina are overweight or obese. School-based obesity prevention initiatives in NC are implemented through combined efforts of government, private, and non-profit organizations. While united in their mission, their programs often overlap and can benefit from a more coordinated approach. Purpose: In partnership with NC Healthy Schools, NC Prevention Partners hosted two Roundtable meetings of obesity prevention program leaders and school partners. The aims were to shift programs to underserved areas of the state, to promote evidence-based programs, and to improve collaboration. Significance: One outcome of these gatherings was NC School Health Connection - www.ncschoolhealthconnection.org. This website features an interactive density map that displays program distribution by county, school district, or type and includes a robust catalog of programs. Methodology: A survey that populates the website, comprised of descriptive questions and CDC SLIMs metrics, was piloted in 2010 with 6 organizations. The survey was revised and has been completed by 20 organizations to date. Findings/Results: At baseline, 18% of NC counties had no obesity prevention programs assisting schools. One year later, that percent decreased significantly to 10%, amounting to a 7.8% increase. The programs reported focusing on: employee wellness (63%), after-school programs (53%), and built environments (47%). Eighty-nine percent of programs reported evaluating results, with policy monitoring measured most often (65%). Conclusions/Recommendations: As a result of this collaboration, organizations are closing gaps across the state. Other states can readily adopt this model to best leverage resources in partnering with schools to reduce youth obesity.