Abstract
Background: Obesity is a public health concern that disproportionately affects underserved and minority communities. Purpose: To evaluate whether a comprehensive obesity prevention program that targets children and school staff in an underserved Hispanic community affects obesity related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among both students and staff. Methods: Using a longitudinal design over 2 years we administered surveys to fourth-grade students (N = 184) and school staff (N = 99) from 7 elementary schools involved in a comprehensive obesity prevention program. In year 2, a control group of students and staff from a neighboring school completed the same surveys for comparison. Results: Over 2 years, students and school staff participating in the program reported improved nutrition knowledge and behavior, and school staff reported improved self-efficacy for physical activity and a trend toward increased physical activity. In year 2 student nutrition behaviors improved preferentially for intervention versus control students. Discussion: Comprehensive programs that target students and school staff may be useful in underserved communities to improve certain knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to nutrition and physical activity. Translation to Health Education Practice: Working in concert with public health policy changes, these programs may help to address the disparity in the obesity rate.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 261-270 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | American Journal of Health Education |
| Volume | 45 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 2014 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:We would like to acknowledge support from the New York Presbyterian Hospital Ambulatory Care Network Healthy Schools Healthy Families Program and program managers Melissa Pflugh and Andrea Hausel. This work was also funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health Grant No. CPIMP071048-013.
