Promoting healthy lifestyles among children to prevent or reduce overweight and obesity in the South Bronx, New York: Using a pilot program to assess the effectiveness of a school-based intervention

Nearly 40% of elementary school students in the South Bronx, NY are considered overweight or obese. While school administrators recognize the health challenges facing their students, they often lack the resources necessary to enact change. Bronx Health REACH (BHR) implemented the BHR Obesity Prevention Program for elementary school children with technical assistance from Johns Hopkins University and funding from the Johnson & Johnson Community Health Program. This classroom-based program focuses on increasing students' knowledge of healthy eating, increasing self-efficacy related to food choices, and improving healthy eating behaviors. Using a train-the-trainer model, teachers are taught nutrition education along with the program curriculum, followed by classroom program implementation.

BHR adapted the Bienestar/NEEMA Health Program, an evidence-based diabetes prevention program informed by the Social Cognitive Theory, to focus on healthy eating and nutrition. During the 8-month formative phase, the program was pilot tested, assessment tools to evaluate effectiveness were created, and a data management system using EpiInfo for data storage and analysis was developed. Through this process, BHR and academic partners worked together to evaluate the program prior to expanding it. The BHR Obesity Prevention Program has enrolled 360 children since its start. Preliminary results indicate improved nutrition knowledge and increased self-efficacy related to making healthy food choices.

Schools play a critical role in obesity prevention; and training teachers is key to implementing effective healthy eating and nutrition education programs. A partnership to build in-house capacity for program monitoring and evaluation fosters an organization's ability to make evidence-based decisions regarding program components.