Healthy Kids Healthy America:Healthy Kids, Healthy America:  Preventing Childhood Obesity in

L i i S h l d C itiLouisiana Schools and Communities

Pam Romero Louisiana Council on Obesity Prevention & Management

Denise HolstonLSU AgCenter

Impacting ObesityImpacting Obesity

“Greater likelihood of success whenGreater likelihood of success when public, private, and voluntary organizations manage theirorganizations manage their 

strengths to ensure coordinated and sustained long term effort”sustained long term effort

Institute of Medicine (IOM) C itt(IOM) Committee

Louisiana School Based Health Centers  2007‐2008 Data 

12 000 children (2‐19 yrs old) 12,000 children (2‐19 yrs old)

46.53% overweight or obese 

Why does this matter?Why does this matter?

Poor nutrition/health is linked to poor Poor nutrition/health is linked to poor academic performance

Children diagnosed with adult diseases

At risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease 

Overweight children are 80% likely to be g yoverweight or obese as an adult

Louisiana Council on Obesity Prevention & Management

C t d b t t l i l ti 1999 Created by state legislation 1999

Mission“To promote an environment that supports opportunities for all Louisianasupports opportunities for all Louisiana residents to make healthy food choices and to be physically active in order toand to be physically active in order to achieve or maintain a healthy weight.”

National Governors Association (NGA)Center for Best Practices

Healthy Kids Healthy America Program Healthy Kids, Healthy America Program

Provided Governors opportunity and means to make progress in addressing childhood obesity Supported by Robert Wood Johnson 

Foundation and CDC

Louisiana one of 15 states to receive grant

School Wellness Policy Implementation Project

Avenue to increase healthy eating and physical activity in schools and 

communities.

Project TeamLouisiana Council on Obesity Prevention & ManagementLouisiana Dept of Health & Hospitals’ Nutrition Section

Louisiana Dept of EducationLSU Agricultural Center (LSU AgCenter)g ( g )

Governor’s Office

School Wellness PolicySchool Wellness Policy

Child Nutrition & WIC Reauthorization Act 2004 Child Nutrition & WIC Reauthorization Act, 2004

Requires school districts participating in National School Meals Program to implement aNational School Meals Program to implement a Local Wellness Policy

I l i t f t t d t h l Involves input from parents, students, school administrators, local school board, school food service representativesservice representatives

Builds on existing state policies, laws and activitiesactivities

School Wellness Policy Implementation Project

Phase 1: Information Gathering

• Principal survey• Focus group discussions

Phase 1: Information Gathering

• Focus group discussions

Phase 2: Action Plan Guide Development

• Quick reference

• Continuation of project

Phase 3: Action Plan Guide Distribution

Phase 1: Information GatheringPhase 1: Information Gathering

Principal Survey Principal Survey

Public elementary & middle schools  Invitation to participate Invitation to participate Administered by LSU Public Policy Research Lab  Survey designed to better understand the Survey designed to better understand the 

status of school wellness policy implementation 412 completed surveys (44% response rate) 412 completed surveys (44% response rate) Access full report on LA Obesity Council 

website or pick up a copy of the summarywebsite or pick up a copy of the summary

Key FindingsKey Findings

See wellness policy primarily in terms of See wellness policy primarily in terms of physical education and improving physical fitness of students and meeting federalfitness of students and meeting federal requirements.  

L h i idi t d t ith Less emphasis on providing students with nutritional information.

Key FindingsKey Findings

Believe they need support from parents the Believe they need support from parents, the school administration, teachers and students.

See school wellness policy implementation as See school wellness policy implementation as internal school activities.

Elementary & middle school principals report Elementary & middle school principals report limited progress in implementing local school wellness policy.p y 8% met all 5 minimum requirements

3% exceeded requirements

Identified NeedIdentified Need

I l l itIncrease local capacity to advance the level of implementation of the School Wellness Policyy

Focus Group Discussions (FGD)Focus Group Discussions (FGD)

Objective: Objective:

To gather information on the successes and barriers to school wellness policy development and implementation in elementary and middle schools in Louisiana at the district and local levels

MethodsMethods

2 FGD d t d i h f th 5 2 FGD were conducted in each of the 5 School Foodservice Regions (10 total)

l Development

Implementation

LSU AgCenter Extension Agents served as moderatorsas moderators

Key FindingsKey Findings

Successes Successes

Support from administrationpp An active, representative School 

Wellness Policy committeeWellness Policy committee Multi‐channel communication to all

Key FindingsKey Findings 

Most participants reported using Most participants reported using  community‐based programs and/or online resources to facilitate Wellnessonline resources to facilitate Wellness Policy development and implementation

ChallengesChallenges

Who’s in charge?

Increasing  knowledge and awareness of theawareness of the Wellness Policy

Time to monitorTime to monitor implementation at the school level

Phase 2: Action Plan Guide Development

Phase 3: Action Plan Guide Distribution

The School Wellness Action Plan The School Wellness Action Plan Guide will be updated annually and available onlineavailable online.

Continuation of project:

What can you do?What can you do?

Learn about the extent of School Wellness Learn about the extent of School Wellness Policies in your local schools

“adopt a school get involved” “adopt a school—get involved”

Support formation of local School Health d i ilAdvisory Councils

Join LA Action for Healthy Kids Team in your region (www.actionforhealthykids.org)

AFHK Membership RegionsAFHK Membership Regions

Claiborne

Lincoln

MorehouseUnion Region 1

Bienville

CaldwellDeSoto Franklin

Jackson MadisonOuachita

RedRiver

Richland

TensasWinn

Region 2

Region 3

Region 4

Avoyelles

Grant

La Salle

Rapides

Sabine

Vernon

Region 4

Region 5

Allen

Avoyelles

Beauregard E. BatonRouge

Evangeline

Livingston

St.Helena

St. Landry

Washington

WBR

WestFeliciana

PointeCoupee

EastFeliciana

AcadiaCalcasieu

CameronIberia

JeffersonDavis

St. Bernard

St.James

St. Martin

St. Mary

Vermilion

Terrebonne

www.actionforhealthykids.org

QuestionsQuestions