Using community--academic partnerships and a comprehensive school-based program to decrease health disparities in...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatric Health
• Community-Based Interventions

Background:

• Underserved school-age children often fail to meet physical activity guidelines.
• Schools play a crucial role in providing access to physical activity for children.
• Parental influence is significant, but school environments are also key determinants of activity levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the Kids N Fitness (KNF) program on body mass index (BMI) and physical activity behaviors in underserved children.
• To assess the effectiveness of a culturally sensitive, comprehensive, school-based program using a community-academic partnered research approach.
• To examine changes in daily physical activity, sports participation, physical education (PE) class attendance, and screen time.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 251 underserved children aged 8-12 in Los Angeles County.
• The study employed a community-academic partnered participatory research approach.
• Data on BMI Z-score and physical activity behaviors were collected at baseline, 4 months, and 12 months post-intervention.

Main Results:

• Students in the KNF program showed significant decreases in BMI Z-score from baseline to 12 months.
• The intervention led to significant reductions in TV viewing and increases in PE class attendance.
• These positive changes highlight the effectiveness of the school-based program.

Conclusions:

• Community-academic partnerships are valuable for developing and implementing effective health interventions.
• Culturally sensitive, multi-component, collaborative programs like Kids N Fitness can positively impact children's health behaviors.
• School-based interventions are a viable strategy to improve physical activity and reduce BMI in underserved populations.