Abstract
Equity in physical activity engagement is a critical issue. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) reaches low-income youth, with physical activity as one of the key foci. In Michigan, SNAP-Ed includes locally relevant programs selected and implemented by community organizations. Consistent evaluation is conducted across programs. PURPOSE: To evaluate state-level change in physical activity and sedentary behaviors of Michigan youth who receive locally relevant SNAP-Ed programming selected and implemented by community-based organizations. METHODS: Participants were youth (grades 4th-8th) receiving SNAP-Ed programming that included evidence-based interventions with a physical activity component. Youth received a physical activity questionnaire pre- and post-intervention. Participant data were matched based on demographic indicators, and data were aggregated at the state-level. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all variables of interest, and Wilcoxon Signed Rank tests were used to compare differences pre- and post-intervention for physical activity and sedentary behaviors (i.e. weekday hours spent watching TV). RESULTS: Participants included 1,899 youth (grades 4th-8th) from SNAP-Ed programming delivered through 15 different community organizations across Michigan. The majority of participants were Caucasian (65.0%) and non-Hispanic (86.5%), and approximately one-half were male (49.9%). A statistically significant increase was found for the number of days that youth self-reported being physically active for at least 60 minutes pre- and post-intervention (pre: 4.18±2.13; post: 4.43±2.05; p<0.000), and a statistically significant decrease was found for the number of hours youth reported watching TV on a weekday pre- and post-intervention (pre: 1.76±1.55; post: 1.66±1.49; p=0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of locally relevant SNAP-Ed programming selected by community organizations can positively impact physical activity and sedentary behaviors. Future research should explore commonalities amongst locally relevant programs to identify key implementation characteristics for greatest impact and progress toward equity.
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