Engaging Communities to Develop and Sustain Comprehensive Wellness Policies: Louisiana’s Schools Putting Prevention to Work

Details

• Journal Article:
  Preventing Chronic Disease (PCD)
• Personal Author:
  Gollub, Elizabeth A. ; Kennedy, Betty Monroe ; Bourgeois, Brandi F. ; Broyles, Stephanie T. ; Katzmarzyk, Peter T.
• Description:
  Background ; Tobacco use, obesity, and physical inactivity among Louisiana’s youth pose a serious public health problem. Given the potential of school environments to affect student well-being, the Louisiana Tobacco Control Program developed and tested a pilot program, Schools Putting Prevention to Work. The objective was to assist school districts in developing a comprehensive school wellness policy and engaging their school community to generate environments that support healthful choices and behaviors. ; Community Context ; The pilot was implemented in 27 school districts, reaching an estimated 325,000 people across the state. Demographics of participating students were similar to all Louisiana’s public school students. ; Methods ; A school wellness project state team advised project development. A subgroup that included contractors and partners implemented and modified the pilot. Sites were selected though an application process. Site representatives received trainings, technical assistance, and funding to organize school-based support-building activities and coordinate a school health advisory council to develop policy and sustain healthy school environments. Project sites reported progress monthly; evaluation included data from sites and project administrators. ; Outcome ; Twenty-five comprehensive school wellness policies (covering 100% tobacco-free schools and daily physical activity and healthier cafeteria items) were approved by school boards. Environmental changes such as physical activity breaks, healthier vending options, and tobacco-free campuses were adopted. ; Interpretation ; This pilot demonstrated a successful approach to achieving policy and environmental change. The state team engaged and guided school districts to motivate students, parents, faculty/staff/administration, and businesses to establish and maintain opportunities to improve lifestyle health.
• Subjects:
  • Community Case Study
  • Child
  • Diet
  • Food
  • Health Policy
  • Health Promotion
  • Humans
  • Louisiana
  • Motor Activity
  • Program Development
  More +
• Source:
  Prev Chronic Dis. 11.
• ISSN:
  1545-1151
• Pubmed ID:
  24602588
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC3945076
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  5U58DP003/DP/NCCDPHP CDC HHS/United States
• Volume:
  11
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/22092/cdc_22092_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 571.67 KB]
• Collection(s):
  Preventing Chronic Disease
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:43833a63e6554f486d0deeb93de4ac8332e3a021dab573c3890bc71e989f1a195d14de32244ed4fe6b5fc9f109f404fd93b845e76bc59df5c17921310695596d