Multi-component school-based obesity prevention programs
Local governments can invest in this strategy using State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
- This strategy can help promote healthy childhood environments. The U.S. Department of Treasury has indicated that strategies that help achieve this outcome are eligible for the use of Fiscal Recovery Funds.
- Investments in this strategy are SLFRF-eligible as long as they are made in qualified census tracts or are designed to assist populations or communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
Program overview
Incorporating both physical activity and nutrition to prevent obesity: Multi-component school-based obesity prevention programs include educational, environmental, and behavioral interventions that help foster healthier habits among young people. They can lead to increased physical activity, healthier dietary habits, and improved weight status.
Healthy living education across multiple domains: Typically, school-based obesity prevention programs include educational components to encourage healthier behaviors, delivered by both classroom teachers and physical education (PE) teachers. These lessons and activities may include classroom discussions about physical activity and nutrition, expanded physical education classes, increased opportunities for physical activity during the school day, promotion of healthy food and drink options in the school context, and education and support for families.
Changes to the school environment to promote healthy habits: An important component of obesity prevention programs is ensuring that the school environment allows and encourages healthy behaviors. This responsibility rests primarily with school administrators, who can allocate sufficient time for recess and PE classes, regulate healthy food and drink options in schools, and ensure students have safe spaces for outdoor recreation. In addition, food service providers are responsible for planning and serving meals and may take steps to make school meals healthier and more attractive.
Fostering sustainable healthy behaviors: School-based obesity prevention programs operate with the goal of helping students build healthy habits that extend beyond their time in the classroom. Classroom lessons give students the knowledge they need to make healthy choices, PE activities and instruction help students build their confidence engaging in physical activity, and opportunities to try new foods expand students’ palates. Parental involvement and support is also essential to ensure that students can transfer their new habits and learning to a home environment.
Low-cost to deliver: Many multi-component obesity prevention programs rely on existing school resources and require no extra staff, and consequently have low implementation costs. Interventions may require reallocation of resources (e.g., changing the food and drink options available on school grounds) or new training or curriculum materials, but are typically designed to fit within existing school budgets.
- Cost per Participant
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Not available
Multiple studies with rigorous designs demonstrate that multi-component school-based obesity prevention programs are a well-supported strategy for preventing obesity and increasing healthy behaviors among youth.
- A 2018 research synthesis identified multi-component school-based obesity prevention programs as a scientifically supported strategy for increasing children’s physical activity and improving their weight and dietary habits.
Incorporate a range of stakeholders in planning and managing the program: Multi-component interventions are inherently reliant on individuals with different roles, areas of expertise, and relationships to students. As such, programs can benefit from soliciting input from teachers, school administrators, food service providers, parents, and students when planning the intervention. These individuals are also ideal candidates to serve on a school health council to oversee and manage the implementation of the program.
Engage parents and families in the intervention: Since children only spend a portion of their time at school, it is essential for parents and families to play a role in any intervention efforts. Educating parents on the content children are learning in school and emphasizing the importance of healthy habits (e.g., diet, exercise, sleep, screen time) helps children maintain consistency in their healthy behaviors across school and home environments. For example, parents can ensure that children continue making healthy food choices at home and build exercise into their daily schedule even outside of school. Parents are also in a unique position to shape some habits that may be beyond the purview of school staff, such as by enforcing limits on screen time or establishing a regular bedtime.
Address students’ diverse interests, skill sets, and backgrounds: Providing opportunities to learn and practice a wide range of different healthy behaviors helps to keep a larger number of students engaged in the intervention. For example, PE teachers should incorporate both health-fitness (e.g., jump rope) and skill-fitness (e.g., basketball) activities into class sessions. In addition, programs should be culturally sensitive; there should be different options for suggested foods, for example, that align with existing cultural norms, traditions, and values across different communities.
Differentiate program components for specific audiences: Since there are substantial developmental and social differences among children and adolescents of different age groups, activities and lessons should be intentionally structured in terms of independence involved, depth of explanation, and topics discussed. For example, when working with students in middle school, it may be more appropriate to discuss body image and eating disorders than when working with first grade students.