'Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention'
Abstract
Background
The increase in childhood obesity and prevalence of
chronic disease risk factors demonstrate the importance of
creating healthy school environments. As part of the
Border Health Strategic Initiative, the School Health
Index was implemented in public schools in two counties
along the Arizona, United States-Sonora, Mexico border.
Developed in 2000 by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, the School Health Index offers a guide to
assist schools in evaluating and improving opportunities
for physical activity and good nutrition for their students.
Context
Between 2000 and 2003, a total of 13 schools from five
school districts in two counties participated in the School
Health Index project despite academic pressures and limited resources.
Methods
The Border Health Strategic Initiative supported the
hiring and training of an external coordinator in each
county who was not part of the school system but who was
an employee in an established community-based organization. The coordinators worked with the schools to implement the School Health Index, to develop action plans, and
to monitor progress toward these goals.
Consequences
The School Health Index process and school team participation varied from school to school. Individual plans
were different but all focused on reducing in-school access
to unhealthy foods, identified as high-fat and/or of low
nutritional value. Ideas for acting on this focus ranged
from changing the content of school lunches to discontinuing the use of nonnutritious foods as classroom rewards.
All plans included recommendations that could be implemented immediately as well as those that would require
planning and perhaps the formation and assistance of a
subcommittee (e.g., for developing or adopting a districtwide health curriculum).
Interpretation
After working with the School Health Index, most
schools made at least one immediate change in their school
environments. The external coordinator was essential to
keeping the School Health Index results and action plans
on the agendas of school administrators, especially during
periods of staff turnover. Staff turnover, lack of time, and
limited resources resulted in few schools achieving longer term policy changes