Program Evaluation of Environmental and Policy Approaches to Physical Activity Promotion in a Lower Income Latinx School District in Southeast Los Angeles

Anne L. Escaron, Corina Martinez, Monica Lara, Celia Vega-Herrera, Denise Rios, Marielena Lara and Michael Hochman
Additional contact information
Anne L. Escaron: AltaMed Institute for Health Equity, AltaMed Health Services Corporation, Los Angeles, CA 90040, USA
Corina Martinez: Health Education and Wellness Department, AltaMed Health Services Corporation, Los Angeles, CA 90040, USA
Monica Lara: Health Education and Wellness Department, AltaMed Health Services Corporation, Los Angeles, CA 90040, USA
Celia Vega-Herrera: AltaMed Institute for Health Equity, AltaMed Health Services Corporation, Los Angeles, CA 90040, USA
Denise Rios: AltaMed Institute for Health Equity, AltaMed Health Services Corporation, Los Angeles, CA 90040, USA
Marielena Lara: RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138, USA
Michael Hochman: University of Southern California (USC) Gehr Family Center for Health Systems Science & Innovation, Keck Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 22, 1-13

Abstract: There is alarming population wide prevalence of low adolescent physical activity as this represents a risk factor for later chronic disease development. There is evidence to suggest that schools with strong wellness policies have students that are more frequently active. We designed an intervention to enhance students’ physical activity levels in five majority Latinx, underserved school districts. Evaluation consisted of assessment of written quality of school-district wellness policies; observation of student’s physical activity during leisure times; and after-school program practices and policies. We examined one of these district’s results more closely, the only participating district with a community coalition, and extracted lessons learned. On the physical activity section of the wellness policy, this district covered a moderate extent of recommended content areas using weak language. Compared to previous reports, we identified low vigorous activity levels for girls and boys at baseline (respectively, 12% and 18%). Finally, we identified that of four after school program sites assessed at baseline, no program reported the recommended 50% or more of program time dedicated to physical activity. Based on these evaluation findings, additional strategies are urgently needed to encourage all students and particularly more girls to be physically active throughout the school day.

Keywords: students; boys; girls; leisure-time physical activity; wellness policy; moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA); policy; systems; environmental strategies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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