P32 - Awareness Among Rural and Urban Parents of Elementary School Children Regarding School Wellness Policies and Prevalence of Child Obesity

Abstract

Background (Background, Rationale, Prior Research, and/or Theory): Schools participating in USDA meal programs are required to have a school wellness policy (SWP). Research suggest that utilization of local SWP was associated with increased consumption of healthier food items and superior health-promoting practices in the school setting, such as regular physical activity, with rural, versus urban, schools reporting least implementation. The parents' awareness and involvement plays a noteworthy role in successfully implementing wellness policies in schools. Objective: Compare parents of elementary school children from rural and urban communities on their perceptions of the problem of childhood obesity, their knowledge about school wellness polices (SWP), and their belief that schools have a responsibility for obesity prevention. Study Design, Setting, Participants, Intervention: Parents of elementary school children (n = 470) completed a statewide telephone survey about their perceptions of the problem of childhood obesity, knowledge about SWP, and belief that schools have a responsibility for obesity prevention. Outcome Measures and Analysis: Chi square and t-test statistics were conducted to determine differences between rural and urban households. Results: Rural parents had lower ratings of school responsibility for providing foods to reduce obesity (P = .035) and lower feasibility ratings of the schools changing foods to meet guidelines for health promotion and obesity reduction (P = .023) than urban parents. While two thirds of the participants stated that they were aware that their child's school had a SWP, nearly half (49.5%) rated their familiarity with the policy low. Overall, more parents agreed that obesity was a problem in the state as opposed to obesity being a problem in their child's school (P < .001). Conclusions and Implications: Greater awareness is needed among parents of elementary school children regarding the prevalence of childhood obesity and health benefits of healthy weight in childhood, as well as increased communication and collaborative efforts between schools and families in providing health promoting environments. Funding: None.