Participation in a School-Based Wellness Initiative Associated With Improved K-12 Student Body Mass Index Trends

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatrics
• Health Promotion

Background:

• Childhood obesity is a significant public health concern.
• School-based wellness programs offer a platform for intervention.
• Academic medical centers can support school health initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between participation in a school-based wellness initiative and changes in student body mass index (BMI).
• To identify specific programmatic components linked to BMI changes.

Main Methods:

• Observational study of 103 K-12 schools in South Carolina (2014-2018).
• Compared participating (n=87) and non-participating (n=16) schools.
• Used linear multilevel mixed-effects modeling with FitnessGram and School Wellness Checklist© (SWC) data to assess BMI z-score (BMIz).

Main Results:

• Average student BMIz decreased in participating schools (p=.026) and increased in non-participating schools (p=.004).
• Schools participating for ≥2 years showed an inverse relationship between SWC score and student BMIz (p=.002).
• Physical activity, stress management, employee wellness, and wellness committees were associated with decreased student BMIz (all p<.05).

Conclusions:

• Comprehensive school-based wellness programs can help prevent and reduce pediatric obesity.
• Interventions should focus on physical activity, stress management, and employee engagement.
• These programs may be effective in diverse communities.