Childhood Obesity
Conditions
Brief summary
The investigators long term-goal is to help YMCA programs across the nation successfully acheive the Y of USA Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Standards. Our objective here is threefold. First, the investigators will work with South Carolina YMCA leadership to achieve the Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Standards and implement our HEPA Strategies in YMCA programs across the state, evaluate the uptake of and adherence to the standards and strategies, and identify factors that influence their implementation. Second, the investigators will evaluate the impact of acheiving the standards on children's MVPA and the serving and consumption of FV and water during the programs. Third, the investigators will evaluate the costs associated with and the cost-effectiveness of meeting the standards in terms of improvements in activity and healthy eating.
Detailed description
The investigators research team developed a conceptual framework that identifies critical modifiable levers within Out of School Time programs that can be altered and/or strengthened to reach policy or standards goals. These include the policy environment at the national, state and local levels; characteristics of the individual site, program leadership, staff, and children; and existing outside organizational partnerships. This framework was informed by complex systems change, social ecology, systemic capacity building , and the literature on the impact of public health policy that identifies key elements of the system to be targeted as well as possible influences on those elements. Viewing OST programs as complex systems, Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Standards represent one of many leverage points within a system. Existing efforts to implement standards rest solely upon the voluntary adoption of the standards, with little to no other changes to the OST program setting. It is clear from our preliminary work and comprehensive reviews that OST programs are falling short of meeting goals set forth in the standards.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALHealthy Eating and Physical Activity
Create partnerships with ASPs to help facilitate changes in programming to meet the National Afterschool Alliance's HEPA Standards.
Sponsors
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
University of South Carolina
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
5 Years to 12 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* All children enrolled in participating afterschool programs will be eligible to take part in the study.
Exclusion criteria
* Any physical/orthopedic impairment that would limit a child's ability to participate in regular physical activity (e.g., wheelchair user).
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in proportion of children meeting physical activity policy | Baseline, Fall of Year 2, and Fall of Year 3 | We will assess the number of children meeting the physical activity policy of 30 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Changes in Nutritional Quality of Snacks | Baseline, Fall of Year 2 and Fall of Year 3 | We will assess quality of snacks served at the ASPs in terms of number of fruits and vegetables served per week. |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed