266507 Comprehensive effect of PE and competitive food laws: Why researchers and policymakers must consider both sides of the energy balance equation

Monday, October 29, 2012 : 1:10 PM - 1:30 PM

Daniel R. Taber, PhD, MPH , Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Jamie F. Chriqui, PhD, MHS , Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Frank M. Perna, EdD, PhD , Health Promotion Research Branch, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
Lisa M. Powell, PhD , Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Sandy J. Slater, PhD , Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Frank J. Chaloupka, PhD , Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Introduction: Several studies have analyzed whether state laws governing physical education (PE) or competitive foods are individually associated with student weight status. No study has examined PE and competitive food laws in conjunction, however. Methods: State laws governing competitive food nutrition content and PE time requirements were obtained from the NCI Classification of Laws Associated with School Students. States with moderate PE requirements (<90 minutes/week) and varying competitive food standards (specific and required; nonspecific/recommended; none) were compared to states with no laws in either domain. General linear models, stratified by gender, were used to estimate differences between comparison groups in average within-student body mass index (BMI) change in a cohort of 6,900 students in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, controlling for race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, locale, and state clustering. Results: Moderate PE time requirements were not associated with BMI change unless complemented with specific, required competitive food standards. Boys, for example, gained 0.50 fewer BMI units (95% CI: -0.99, -0.02), on average, if they lived in states with moderate PE time requirements and specific, required competitive food standards, relative to boys in states with neither type of law. Supplementary analyses indicated that moderate PE requirements were not associated with PE attendance or physical activity in boys or girls. Discussion: Moderate PE requirements appear insufficient to reduce BMI gain without strong competitive food laws. Even in states with laws in both domains, reduced BMI gain may be attributable to competitive food laws, given that moderate PE requirements were not associated with activity.

Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and prevention
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1. Analyze whether state PE time requirement laws are associated with adolescent PE attendance and physical activity levels; 2. Analyze whether the association between state PE time requirement laws and within-student BMI change is modified by state competitive food laws; and 3. Discuss the implications of these results on future policy initiatives.

Keywords: Obesity, Policy/Policy Development

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have published several peer-reviewed studies on nutrition and physical activity among children, with a particular emphasis on state policies governing nutrition standards and physical education in schools.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.