Local Wellness Policies Research Articles

Urban-Rural Differences in School Districts' Local Wellness Policies and Policy Implementation Environments.

Higher rates of obesity in rural compared to urban districts suggest environmental differences that affect student health. This study examined urban-rural differences in districts' local wellness policies (LWPs) and LWP implementation environments. Cross-sectional data from two assessments in Texas were analyzed. In assessment one, each district's LWP was reviewed to see if 16 goals were included. In assessment two, an audit was conducted to identify the presence of a wellness plan (a document with recommendations for implementing LWPs), triennial LWP assessment, and school health advisory councils (SHACs) on the district website. Rural districts' LWPs had a smaller number of total goals (B = -2.281, p = 0.014), nutrition education goals (B = -0.654, p = 0.005), and other school-based activity goals (B = -0.675, p = 0.001) in their LWPs, compared to urban districts. Rural districts also had lower odds of having a wellness plan (OR = 0.520, 95% CI = 0.288-0.939), p = 0.030) and a SHAC (OR = 0.201, 95% CI = 0.113-0.357, p < 0.001) to support LWP implementation, compared to urban districts. More resources may be needed to create effective SHACs that can help develop and implement LWPs in rural areas. Important urban-rural differences exist in Texas LWPs and LWP implementation environments.

Evaluation of School Wellness Policies in Low-Income California Districts After the 2016 USDA Final Rule.

Districts with federal nutrition programs must have an updated local school wellness policy (LSWP) to promote nutrition, physical activity, and student wellness. This study evaluates factors associated with LSWP quality among low-income districts. In 2018, we collected LSWPs from websites of 200 randomly selected, county-stratified, low-income-serving California public districts. Multivariable linear regression assessed associations between district characteristics, model LSWP use (national, state, none), and adoption date on policy quality. On the WellSAT 3.0 scale of 0-100, mean (95% CI) comprehensiveness was 65.0 (63.2-66.7) and strength was 37.3 (35.3-39.2). Nearly verbatim adoption of model LSWPs was high(68.5% state model, 13.0% a national model). Half were adopted before mandated updates. District size (≥1000 students) and national model LSWP adoption were associated with higher comprehensive scores. National model LSWP adoption was associated with higher strength scores in updated policies compared with those not updated. LSWPs have improved school food and activity environments, but district engagement in LSWP is low. Integration into education frameworks that reduce learning barriers could provide synergy for re-engagement. High adoption of model policies and low update compliance indicate little district engagement in LSWP. Mixed methods studies of districts with high-quality LSWP are needed.

Relationship of School District Local Wellness Policies on Student Physical Activity Behaviors

Relationship of School District Local Wellness Policies on Student Physical Activity Behaviors

The Role of Wellness Teams in Promoting Health and Wellness Implementation Strategies in Elementary Schools in Chicago.

Strategies used by wellness teams (WTs) to foster local wellness policy (LWP) implementation have been documented, yet there remains a need to better understand how WTs respond to district-level LWP requirements, particularly when bundled with additional health-related policies. This study's goal was to explore how WTs implement Healthy Chicago Public School (CPS), a district-led initiative focused on both LWP and other health policy implementation in the CPS district, one of the most diverse in the nation. Eleven discussion groups were conducted with WTs in CPS. Discussions were recorded, transcribed, and thematically coded. Six overarching strategies used by WTs in working to achieve Healthy CPS include: (1) using district guides and resources to support planning, progress monitoring, and reporting; (2) under the leadership of wellness champions, as required by the district, facilitating engagement among staff, students, and/or families; (3) taking district guidance and adapting and integrating it into their schools' existing structures, curricula, and practices, often taking a holistic approach; (4) fostering linkages in the communities surrounding their schools to supplement internal school capacities; and (5) stewarding resources, time, and staff for sustainability. Strategies for LWP implementation by WTs in urban and diverse schools include planning for staff turnover, integrating health and wellness into existing curricula and structures, and leveraging relationships with the local community. WTs can play a critical role in supporting schools in diverse, urban districts to implement district-level LWP and the plethora of related policies that schools are subject to at the federal, state, and district levels.

Assessing the Effects of a Statewide Training Initiative on Local School Wellness Policies.

Local district wellness policies are designed to ensure that schools support student health by providing a healthy nutrition environment and opportunities for physical activity. The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) developed a 5-year initiative to strengthen wellness policies across their state by offering regional wellness workshops and providing coaches to work with individual districts. KSDE also developed the Wellness Impact Tool (WIT), a self-report measure districts use to document their practices at each school level related to Nutrition, Nutrition Promotion, Physical Activity, and Integrated School-Based Wellness. Kansas districts (N = 286) completed the WIT annually over a 5-year period. The current study evaluates the KSDE wellness initiative by examining the changes in WIT scores over time and by school level, and testing whether greater engagement with wellness supports (i.e., workshops attended and coaching sessions received) predicts higher WIT scores. The findings indicate that district WIT scores increased over the 5-year initiative. Overall, high schools scored higher than elementary or middle schools on Nutrition items, and elementary schools scored higher than other school levels in the domains of Nutrition Promotion, Physical Activity, and Integrated School-Based Wellness. The number of wellness supports utilized by districts each year were significant predictors of subsequent WIT scores. The KSDE's initiative to support Kansas school districts was associated with significant improvements in the quality of wellness practices across the state and provides a model for consideration by other states.

Disparities in Local Wellness Policies Implementation Across Maryland Schools.

School-level implementation of district-level local wellness policies (LWPs) is needed to create school environments that promote nutrition and physical activity (PA). Disparities in classroom-specific LWPs implementation were examined. An administrator survey (N=756 schools; 24/24 districts) included 6 classrooms LWP best-practice items (fully/not fully implemented: restricting food celebrations or rewards, incorporating PA breaks or integrating PA in curricula, restricting withholding or using PA as punishment). A sum score (alpha=.71; elementary and middle/high examined separately) was used to examine associations with student body income (free-and-reduced priced meals (FARMS): ≤40%, 41-75%, ≥75%), race/ethnicity, and school location (rural/urban/suburban), accounting for district-level clustering, with moderation examined. Classroom implementation scores were: elementary=3.1 ± 1.8 (range: 0-6/6 items) and middle/high=2.3 ± 1.6 (range:0-5/5 items). Among elementary and middle/high schools, 65% and 55% had >40% FARMS, 39% and 46% had ≥50% white student body, and 24% and 23% were urban, respectively. Elementary schools with >40% of FARMS-eligible students and middle/high schools with <25% white students reported implementing fewer items. Location was not associated with classroom practices nor was moderation observed. Disparities in classroom-specific LWP best practices implementation were observed by income and race/ethnicity. Tailored support may be needed to improve classroom LWP implementation in schools serving low-income students.

Strategies to Improve School Meal Consumption: A Systematic Review.

School meals can play an integral role in improving children’s diets and addressing health disparities. Initiatives and policies to increase consumption have the potential to ensure students benefit from the healthy school foods available. This systematic review evaluates studies examining initiatives, interventions, and policies to increase school meal consumption. Following PRISMA guidelines, this review was conducted using four databases and resulted in a total of 96 studies. The research evidence supports the following strategies to increase school meal consumption: (1) offering students more menu choices; (2) adapting recipes to improve the palatability and/or cultural appropriateness of foods; (3) providing pre-sliced fruits; (4) rewarding students who try fruits and vegetables; (5) enabling students to have sufficient time to eat with longer (~30 min) lunch periods; (6) having recess before lunch; and (7) limiting students’ access to competitive foods during the school day. Research findings were mixed when examining the impact of nutrition education and/or offering taste tests to students, although multiple benefits for nutrition education outside the cafeteria were documented. There is some evidence that choice architecture (i.e., “Smarter Lunchroom”) techniques increase the proportion of students who select targeted meal components; however, there is not evidence that these techniques alone increase consumption. There were limited studies of the impact of increasing portion sizes; serving vegetables before other meal components; and strengthening local district and/or school wellness policies, suggesting that further research is necessary. Additionally, longer-term studies are needed to understand the impact of policies that limit students’ access to flavored milk. Several studies found increases in students’ meal consumption following the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) and concerns regarding an increase in food waste following the HHFKA were not supported. Overall, there are a range of effective strategies to increase school meal consumption that can be implemented by schools, districts, and policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels (PROSPERO registration: CRD42021244688).

Using Local School Wellness Policies to Build a Culture of Health for Students With Chronic Health Conditions: The School Nurse Role.

Local school wellness policies (LWP) guide school districts' efforts to establish school environments that promote students' health, well-being, and ability to learn that include school U.S. Department of Agriculture nutrition and physical activity requirements. Looking through the lens of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model and NASN's Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice™, LWP can be expanded beyond the tradition focus of nutrition and physical activity to address the health and academic needs of students with chronic health conditions. School nurses need to be actively involved on district wellness councils as schools prepare to conduct their required triennial assessment of current LWP equipped with an understanding of the Alliance for a Healthier Generations' updated model wellness policy and NASN's supplemental wellness policy language to address management of students with chronic health conditions.

Can Monitoring Make It Happen? An Assessment of How Reporting, Monitoring, and Evaluation Can Support Local Wellness Policy Implementation in US Schools.

US school districts participating in federal child nutrition programs are required to develop a local wellness policy (LWP). Each district is allowed flexibility in policy development, including the approaches used for policy reporting, monitoring, and evaluation (RME). The aim of this convergent mixed-methods study was to quantitatively examine RME provisions in policies among a nationally representative sample of districts in the 2014–2015 school year in order to examine whether policies were associated with RME practices in those districts, and to qualitatively examine perceived challenges to RME practices. Data were compiled through the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study and the National Wellness Policy Study. In multivariable regression models accounting for demographics, survey respondents were significantly more likely to report that their district had informed the public about LWP content and implementation, if there was a relevant policy provision in place. Having a strong policy (as compared to no policy) requiring evaluation was associated with reports that the district had indeed evaluated implementation. Having definitive/required provisions in policies was significantly associated with actual use of RME practices. RME activities are an important part of policy implementation, and these results show that policy provisions addressing RME activities must be written with strong language to require compliance. In interviews with 39 superintendents, many reported that RME activities are challenging, including difficulty determining how to monitor and show impact of their district’s wellness initiatives. Furthermore, the qualitative results highlighted the need for vetted tools that are freely available, widely used, and feasible for districts to use in assessing their progress toward meeting the goals in their LWPs.

State Wellness Policy Requirement Laws Matter for District Wellness Policy Comprehensiveness and Wellness Policy Implementation in the United States.

Beginning with the school year 2006–2007, U.S. school districts participating in the federal Child Nutrition Programs were required to adopt and implement a local wellness policy (LWP) that included goals and/or standards for nutrition education, school meals, other foods sold or served in schools, and physical activity. A primary challenge with LWPs has been inconsistent implementation. This study examined whether state wellness policy requirement laws and district LWP comprehensiveness influence district level implementation, using law/policy data from the National Wellness Policy Study and school food authority (SFA)-reported district LWP implementation from the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study. Generalized linear and structural equation models were used, controlling for SFA and district characteristics. SFAs in states with wellness policy requirement laws (vs. those in states without) reported implementing significantly more practices (59.56% vs. 44.57%, p < 0.01). State wellness policy requirement laws were associated with district LWP comprehensiveness (coeff.: 0.463; 95% CI: 0.123, 0.803) and district-level implementation (coeff.: 1.392; 95% CI: 0.299, 2.485). District LWP comprehensiveness was associated with district implementation (coeff.: 0.562; 95% CI: 0.072, 1.053), but did not mediate the state law–district implementation relationship. This study highlights the important role that state laws and district LWPs can play in facilitating wellness policy implementation.

Wisconsin School Wellness Policies after Federal Legislation Change: Understanding Key Mechanisms of Policy Improvement

BackgroundThe Final Rule of the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act, published in 2016, required school districts participating in the federal Child Nutrition Programs to update their local wellness policies to reflect the more stringent requirements effective June 30, 2017. ObjectiveOur aim was to investigate whether Wisconsin school wellness policies (SWPs) were updated after the Final Rule, measure policy quality change, and describe mechanisms of successful policy change. DesignFrom 2016 through 2018, an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined change in SWP quality before and after the Final Rule was published. SWPs were collected in 2 waves reflecting policies written before and updated after the July 21, 2016 publication of the Final Rule. Semi-structured key-informant interviews were conducted with districts that demonstrated significant policy improvement. Participants/settingQuantitative analysis examined 442 Wisconsin school districts’ SWPs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 school districts that demonstrated significant change between waves. Main outcome measuresWellSAT 2.0 strength and comprehensiveness scores measured SWP quality among districts that updated their policies. Themes from interviews were identified using framework analysis. Statistical analysis performedFirst, we calculated the proportion of Wisconsin school districts participating in federal Child Nutrition Programs for which SWPs were obtained at both waves of policy collection (n = 192 districts, 43.4%). Among districts that updated SWPs in wave II, repeated-measure analysis of variance tests described policy quality and policy quality change, respectively. ResultsAmong the 192 districts that updated their SWPs, policy quality increased overall and for 5 of 6 domains. Nutrition education scores did not show significant change. Interviewees commonly cited wellness leadership, support and resources, and buy-in and culture change as key components of policy improvement. ConclusionsFewer than half of Wisconsin school districts updated their policies in the 10 months after the Final Rule was published. SWP from these districts showed policy quality improvement in most areas. Interviews with successful districts indicate the common need for empowered leaders and supportive environments to facilitate culture change around student wellness.

District Wellness Policy Nutrition Standards Are Associated with Healthier District Food Procurement Practices in the United States.

Food procurement policies often exist to require that schools purchase foods with specific nutrient standards. Such policies are increasingly being used with the hope of improving access to healthier foods and beverages. Local wellness policies, required in any school district that participates in Federal Child Nutrition Programs, often contain specific nutrition standards that detail what can be sold to students during the school day. This study investigated the extent to which nutrition standards in wellness policies may be associated with healthier nutrition standards in district-level purchasing specifications. Cross-sectional data from the 2014–2015 school year for 490 school food authorities from 46 states and the District of Columbia were collected as part of the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study and the National Wellness Policy Study. Survey-adjusted multivariable logistic regression models were computed to examine the association between district wellness policy nutrition standards and corresponding district food purchasing specifications. Results show that having a district wellness policy with corresponding nutrition standards and being in a rural area were associated with district food purchasing specifications for specific nutrients. These findings contribute to the literature to suggest that having a wellness policy with detailed nutrition standards may help to increase access to healthier foods and beverages.

Promoting equity through monitoring inequalities in the semi-rural region of Girona

Abstract Problem Girona's region is a semi-rural territory with 750,000 h located in the northeast of Spain. There is no system to monitor health, well-being and health inequalities. This causes a lack of local public health equity policies. Description Design, implementation and results of participatory process, carried out over 6 months, to identify the information and data needs to be monitored locally for social determinants and health inequalities. Process has 4 phases: Selection of technical and political profiles representing coastal and inland, rural and urban municipalities linked to the fields of social determinants of health.Diagnosis: 2.1. Systematic collection of information through: i) Self-administered online questionnaire, sent to 250 policy makers and 580 technicians. ii) 6 focus groups 2.2. Data analysis to prioritize data and information needs.Evaluation and conclusions.Dissemination of results and transfer of knowledge. Results Involve actors in the identification of health information needs and their determinants permit to build a shared model of indicators. Spread the model of social determinants and their effects on health and well-being, increasing awareness of inequalities and health strategy in all policies. Identify the need to adjust some state and international indicators locally to be useful in local proximity policies. Lessons Involving local stakeholders has enabled the Girona's Observatory of Social Determinants of Health and Well-being to respond more efficiently to the information needs of technical and political decision makers. Indicators for monitoring health and inequality at the state and international levels need to be lowered at the local level so that they can be heard in the decision-making process of actors at the local level. Key messages It is necessary to adjust international health indicators to territorial realities in order to adjust local health and wellness policies. Local policies need health and wellness monitoring indicators to guide their policies.

\u201cBridging, brokering, and buffering\u201d: a theoretical exploration of school leaders\u2019 engagement with local school wellness policy implementation

BackgroundThe Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-296) prompted the expansion of federal requirements for local school wellness policies, which aim to improve health promoting practices across school districts in the USA. This qualitative study examined how school district superintendents—as key school leaders who are often listed as the district accountability figure for wellness policies applicable to kindergarten through 12th grade—engaged with wellness policy implementation. The inquiry was guided by evidence-informed implementation and leadership frameworks, including the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and “bridging, buffering, and brokering” strategies from education leadership theory.MethodsWe conducted focus groups and interviews with superintendents (n = 39) from 23 states. Interviews were recorded and professionally transcribed; transcripts were team-coded in Atlas.ti v8 using an iteratively revised coding guide that was informed by CFIR, pilot testing, and during weekly analyst meetings. Principles of constant comparative analysis were employed to develop themes.ResultsMost superintendents’ reported positive perspectives and personal motivations to engage with wellness policy implementation. Within the CFIR process domain, superintendents demonstrated adaptive leadership traits and employed a combination of “bridging, buffering, and brokering” strategies to lead implementation activities. Rather than focus on personal traits, an emphasis on specific strategies highlights actions that may be applied.ConclusionsThe findings offer practical strategies to support superintendents with implementation, as well as a formative contribution to the dearth of theoretical frameworks in school wellness literature, particularly by advancing the specific understanding of leadership roles within a broader implementation framework. The application of education theory allowed for a deeper inquiry into the potential ways that leaders’ strategies and engagement influences implementation more broadly.

A Systems Approach Helps Explain Significant Improvements in Local Wellness Policies Among SNAP-Ed–Supported School Districts

ObjectiveTo assess changes in written local wellness policies (LWPs) across time within Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed)–participating districts. DesignSequential, explanatory mixed methods. SettingFrom October 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016, SNAP-Ed agencies submitted LWPs from partner school districts in Arizona. They received back scores and customized recommendations. To assess changes, LWPs were rescored between October 1, 2017 and September 30, 2018. ParticipantsSixteen local SNAP-Ed agencies worked with 57 districts. InterventionsDistricts’ LWP revisions supported by SNAP-Ed agencies during the 2-year pre-post period. Main Outcome MeasuresPolicy comprehensiveness and strength from 0 (worst) to 100 (best), measured by the Wellness School Assessment Tool. AnalysisPaired t test to compare pre-post scores. Content analysis of State Educational Agency administrative reviews and thematic analysis of SNAP-Ed narrative reports to explore causation. ResultsTotal scores increased (comprehensiveness: +12.4, P < .001, 95% confidence interval, 8.1–16.7; strength: +13.5, P < .001, 95% CI, 9.3–17.7). Improvements were also found for comprehensiveness by section, except Nutrition Education, and for strength across all sections. Qualitative findings suggest that SNAP-Ed interventions combined with state and federal influence contributed to the improvements. Conclusions and ImplicationsLocal wellness policies in SNAP-Ed–supported districts improved over time. State and federal LWP guidelines can work synergistically with SNAP-Ed interventions to influence improvements.

"On a Positive Path": School Superintendents' Perceptions of and Experiences With Local School Wellness Policy Implementation and Evaluation.

Renewed federal requirements for local school wellness policies highlighted the continued importance of supporting school districts as they implement and evaluate wellness initiatives. Superintendents-as school district leaders-play a critical role in wellness policy implementation and evaluation; however, to our knowledge, no studies examine their perspectives or experiences with the most recent federal rule or wellness initiatives more broadly. This study qualitatively examined superintendents' perspectives, experiences, and recommendations with wellness policy implementation and evaluation. Focus groups (n = 39) and follow-up interviews (n = 14 of the focus group participants) were conducted with superintendents from March to July 2017. Coders organized and coded transcript data using Atlas.ti, Version 8 to facilitate thematic analysis. Superintendents had overall positive perceptions of wellness policies and reported that implementation improved over time. Most described wellness approaches beyond typical wellness policy domains, including social-emotional learning and staff wellness. Evaluation of wellness policies was noted to be a challenge, and superintendents requested more tools and resources, as well as opportunities to learn from "best practices." Increased local and state accountability were recommended to facilitate motivation for other superintendents to engage with wellness. This study adds to the literature on a critical stakeholder in the school wellness field. Advocates and technical assistance providers can apply superintendents' recommendations to engage more district leaders in these initiatives.

P31 A Statewide Local Wellness Policy Assessment Finds Marked Improvements Among SNAP-Ed-Supported School Districts

Background The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) encourages nutrition and physical activity in districts and schools where over 50% of students receive free-and-reduced-price lunch. In Arizona, the AZ Health Zone implements SNAP-Ed, which includes support for developing, implementing, and evaluating local wellness policies (LWPs). Objective To assess changes in written LWPs among SNAP-Ed-participating districts across Arizona. Study Design, Settings, Participants The AZ Health Zone developed a scoring system using the WellSAT 2.0 tool to measure the quality of written LWPs and encourage use of findings among partner districts. From October 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016, local SNAP-Ed agencies in 13 Arizona counties submitted 57 LWPs and received back scores and customized recommendations to share with districts. LWPs from the same districts were scored again between October 1, 2017 to September 30, 2018 to assess changes. Measurable Outcome/Analysis We completed the six-section WellSAT 2.0 to generate scorecards for each LWP. Scorecards included section and total scores for comprehensiveness and strength, from 0 (worst) to 100 (best). We used the paired t-test to compare scores across time, and we explored changes in scores as they related to SNAP-Ed interventions, federal requirements, and state administrative reviews. Results From 2016 to 2018, total comprehensiveness and strength scores increased significantly (comprehensiveness: M = 12.33, SD = 16.05, P P P P Conclusion Written LWPs in Arizona's SNAP-Ed-supported school districts have improved in recent years. SNAP-Ed interventions may have worked synergistically with state administrative reviews and federal LWP guidelines to influence improvements. Further research is needed to understand these interrelationships.

O4 Assessment of New York State Local Wellness Policies

Background Under the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, local educational agencies participating in the National School Lunch or Breakfast Program are required to establish local wellness policies (LWPs). LWPs aim to promote healthy nutrition and physical activity standards and programming in school districts. Objective To evaluate the strength and comprehensiveness of the LWPs of a representative sample of New York State public school districts. Study Design, Settings, Participants We used publicly available district-level data from the Common Core of Data and the American Community Survey. To select our sample, the Generalizer was used to generate six strata, using the following criteria: percentage of students receiving free and reduced lunch, English Language learners, identify as Black, Hispanic, Asian or White, and urbanicity. The Generalizer tool determined how many schools to select from each stratum to obtain a sample (n = 111 districts) that is generalizable to the entire state. Measurable Outcome/Analysis To assess LWPs, we utilized WellSAT. WellSAT is an evaluation tool that scores LWPs and identifies areas for improvement. WellSAT includes items that are required by federal law and items identified as best practices. With WellSAT, the LWPs of the selected districts were assessed using 67 items across six domains: Nutrition Education; Standards for USDA Child Nutrition Programs and School Meals; Nutrition Standards for Competitive and Other Foods and Beverages; Physical Education and Activity; Wellness Promotion and Marketing; and Implementation, Evaluation and Communication. Results The majority of LWPs included most federal requirements. However, many lacked items that are thought of as best practices, such as the incorporation of nutrition education into other subjects. Many policies included vague or weak language. Conclusion While many New York LWPs met federal requirements, they often lack clear language and best practices, which can make it challenging for school personnel to interpret and implement the policy. Additional research is needed to better understand what resources school districts need to strengthen their policies. Funding None.

NP17 Approaches to Enhancing Wellness Policy Implementation in Schools to Prevent Obesity: Implementation/Plans for Dissemination

Objective “Wellness Champions for Change” (WCC) aims to create health-promoting school environments by training teachers and student leaders (5th or 8th graders) to promote Local Wellness Policy (LWP) implementation. LWPs are school district documents outlining food/physical activity (PA) policies. This abstract describes data collection/intervention implementation at the mid-point of the funding period and plans for dissemination. Description Twenty-one schools (12 elementary/9 middle) serving low-income families in three school districts and 572 students (evaluation cohort) were recruited in grades 3/4 or 6/7 to be followed for 2 years. Schools were block randomized to: WCC-teachers+student leaders, WCC-teachers only, control. Student-level impact is assessed via measures of height/weight (BMI-for-age calculated), PA (accelerometry), and diet (Perceptions of Diet at School screener). Implementation of teacher/student leader curricula is tracked through attendance/activity logs, fidelity checklists, and participant interviews. Local, state, and national dissemination planning is led by a partnership of extension agents, state department of education representatives, eXtension COP members, and WCC wellness specialists/investigators. Evaluation Students were 43% male, 56.5% in elementary school, 45.8% overweight/obese, and averaged 15 minutes/day of moderate-vigorous PA at school (30 minutes/day overall). Most lunches were from the school cafeteria (50%) or home (34%). During lunch, 60% reported consuming a fruit and 37% a vegetable. Six schools completed the intervention year and are in a sustainability-planning year. Of these, all WCC-teachers schools (n = 4) attended training, three built active wellness teams, two focused on PA opportunities and two on promoting school meals/smart snacks. Student leaders (n = 2 schools) focused on included advocating for PA time/promoting healthy eating through social marketing. Fifteen schools are in the intervention year with implementation tracking ongoing. Conclusion and Implications At the mid-point of a five-year project, schools and students within three districts have been recruited/evaluated, with intervention implementation ongoing. Two additional districts will participate in future years. Dissemination plans include train-the-trainer modules, an online professional credit course for teachers, and distributing the manualized student leader curricula to schools with active teacher wellness teams. Funding 2016-68001-24927.

Wellness Committee Status and Local Wellness Policy Implementation Over Time

Local Wellness Policies are school-district documents containing guidelines for schools to promote nutrition/physical activity. In cross-sectional studies, schools with wellness committees are more likely to implement Local Wellness Policies. This prospective cohort study examines associations between wellness committee status over time and change in Local Wellness Policy implementation using a biennial, statewide survey. School administrators completed surveys following the 2012-2013 (Wave I) and 2014-2015 (Wave II) school years, including a 17-item Local Wellness Policy implementation scale. Four wellness committee status categories included established (both Waves, 35%); new (Wave II only, 22%); discontinued (Wave I only, 13%); and never (neither Wave, 30%). Linear mixed models conducted in 2017-2018 compared LWP implementation change across status groups, accounting for clustering and school characteristics. Of 1,333 schools, 701 had Wave I data (53%); 748 Wave II (56%); and 441 both (33%). Schools were 69% elementary, 56% suburban, and 35% and 28% had majority (≥75%) African American/Hispanic or low-income student body, respectively. At Wave I, schools with wellness committees (established/discontinued groups) had higher Local Wellness Policy implementation (mean=32.0, SD=11.5, and mean=28.3, SD=11.4, respectively) compared with schools without committees (never/new: mean=15.4, SD=10.7 and mean=17.6, SD=11.4, respectively, F=64.9, p≤0.001). Over time, never and established groups maintained low and high Local Wellness Policy implementation, respectively. Compared with never, new committees increased implementation by 9.9 points (SE=1.8, p<0.001), and discontinued committees decreased by 11.2 (SE=2.1, p<0.001). Forming and maintaining wellness committees encourages Local Wellness Policy implementation and should be a recommended strategy for school wellness promotion.