Sustainable Practices Within a School‐Based Intervention: A Report from Project Healthy Schools

Abstract

AbstractOver the past three decades the proportion of students classified as overweight has almost tripled. This trend in childhood obesity is a cause for concern. Stakeholders have come together to stem growth and implement healthy habits in childhood to not only prevent obesity, but also future cardiovascular risk. School‐based health interventions have proven to be an effective medium to reach youth. Sustainable practices remain the largest determinant of long‐term success of these programs. Project Healthy Schools, a community–university collaborative school‐based health intervention program, sustainable practices have led to positive changes in participating middle schools. This collaborative has provided important insight on key factors needed for long‐term sustainability for a school‐based wellness program. These key factors are described under leadership, policy, finances, and reproducibility. Future school‐based programs may plan for success with sustainability while drawing from our experience.