There is an opportunity for state school boards associations, state public health nutrition directors, and school wellness advocates to build their own capacity to provide training and resources to districts on wellness issues, particularly physical education/activity, school-based wellness initiatives, and strategies for implementing and monitoring/evaluating wellness policies.
More states need to adopt school physical activity policies and policy language needs to be more specific to prevent potential loopholes. Monitoring and evaluation strategies, beyond school self-report, are likely needed for these policies to lead to increases in physical activity.
Background: Most youth are not meeting physical activity guidelines, and schools are a key venue for providing physical activity. School districts can provide physical activity opportunities through the adoption, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of policies. This paper reports results of a 2009 survey of California school governance leaders on the barriers and opportunities to providing school-based physical activity and strategies to promote adoption of evidence-based policies. Methods: California school board members (n = 339) completed an 83 item online survey about policy options, perceptions, and barriers to improving physical activity in schools. Results: Board members' highest rated barriers to providing physical activity were budget concerns, limited time in a school day, and competing priorities. The key policy opportunities to increase physical activity were improving the quantity and quality of physical education, integrating physical activity throughout the school day, supporting active transportation to/from school, providing access to physical activity facilities during nonschool hours, and integrating physical activity into before/after school programs. Conclusions: Survey findings were used to develop policy resources and trainings for school governance leaders that provide a comprehensive approach to improving physical activity in schools.
Enactment and enforcement of school nutrition policies represent key components in adolescent overweight and obesity prevention. This study determined: 1) California school board members' attitudes, perceptions, and motivations related to enactment of policies that support healthy eating in schools; and 2) barriers to adopting school policies that support healthy eating. To understand board members' decision-making process, key informant interviews were conducted and a survey was administered to 404 school board members. Though school board members care about the well-being of pupils, competing priorities limit the extent to which nutrition issues get addressed at board meetings. Members' decisions center primarily around academic achievement issues, yet they are interested in nutrition's overall impact on children's health and academic achievement.
The prevalence of overweight youth in the United States has increased remarkably over the last two decades. Overweight and obese youth are at elevated risk for chronic diseases and other adverse health conditions. The foods and beverages that youth access at school (e.g., in a la carte food lines, in vending machines, and in school stores) contribute to overweight and obesity. Enacting policy to ban or restrict unhealthy food and beverage products at school can play a role in managing the epidemic of obesity. School board members are, therefore, a priority audience for introducing healthier food and beverage alternatives through articulation of specific policy initiatives. Under the leadership of California Project LEAN (Leaders Encouraging Activity and Nutrition), a social marketing campaign was directed at California school board members to motivate them to advance nutrition-related policy issues at school board meetings, and to enact and enforce school policies that support healthy eating. In less than two years after implementing the campaign, a significant increase in nutrition-related issues on school board meeting agendas occurred, more favorable nutrition-related policies became enacted, and school board members reported greater readiness to support school nutrition-related issues. Details of campaign development, implementation, and impact are reported.
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