Igniting Youth to Create Healthier Communities: Year 4 Policy Changes

Abstract

ObjectiveThe growing rate of childhood overweight and obesity suggests a need for more effective obesity prevention programs. Community‐Based Participatory Research (CBPR) is a collaborative approach to research that includes equal contributions from community members, organizational representatives and researchers in all facets of the research process. The approach allows participants to share their expertise in order to enhance knowledge and develop interventions that benefit the community. Ignite is five‐year, multiple‐state (Ohio, South Dakota and Kansas) program using the CBPR process to address overweight and obesity among 6–8th grade youth. As part of the Ignite program, virtual dialogues were held with key stakeholders (community leaders, school administrators, and adolescents) who were actively involved in the CBPR project to identify policy and program changes attained during Ignite implementation.Study Design, Setting, and ParticipantsAt the end of year four of programming, a virtual forum with steering committee members (7 school administrators and staff, 2 community members, 10 youth) and 11 researchers from the three intervention communities was conducted. Participants identified priority issues and program implementation associated with Ignite.Outcome, Measures and AnalysisVirtual forum discussion was recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed using NVivo software (QSR International Pty Ltd. Version 10, 2012).ResultsPolicy and program changes that support healthful eating behaviors and physical activity (PA) were identified. The school food and nutrition policy changes included enhancing availability of breakfast and healthful snacks and adding nutrition education to physical education (PE) class. The PA policy changes included increasing the number of programs to support walking and more physical activities. In addition, policy changes related to both nutrition and PA included incorporating wellness into curriculum, devoting time and space to wellness, and exploring funds for sustainability of programing beyond the grant.Conclusions and ImplicationsCBPR programming promoted positive policy and program changes related to healthier dietary and physical activity environment in the intervention schools and communities.Support or Funding InformationThis material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2012‐68001‐19619