Action Schools! BC: a socioecological approach to modifying chronic disease risk factors in elementary school children.
BACKGROUND
Childhood physical inactivity and obesity are serious public health threats. Socioecological approaches to addressing these threats have been proposed. The school is a critical environment for promoting children's health and provides the opportunity to explore the impact of a socioecological approach.


BACKGROUND
Thirty percent of children in British Columbia, Canada, are overweight or obese, and 50% of youths are not physically active enough to yield health benefits.


METHODS
Action Schools! BC, a socioecological model, was developed to create 1) an elementary school environment where students are provided with more opportunities to make healthy choices and 2) a supportive community and provincial environment to facilitate change at the school and individual levels.


CONCLUSIONS
The environment in British Columbia for school- and provincial-level action on health behaviors improved. Focus group and project tracking results indicated that the Action Schools! BC model enhanced the conceptual use of knowledge and was an influencing factor. Political will and public interest were also cited as influential factors.


CONCLUSIONS
The Action Schools! BC model required substantial and demanding changes in the approach of the researchers, policy makers, and support team toward health promotion. Despite challenges, Action Schools! BC provides a good example of how to enhance knowledge exchange and multilevel intersectoral action in chronic disease prevention.
School of Physical Education, Faculty of Education, University of Victoria, Box 3015, STN CSC, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada V8W 2P1. pjnaylor@uvic.ca
Patti-Jean
PJ
Naylor
Heather M
HM
Macdonald
Katharine E
KE
Reed
Heather A
HA
McKay
D001955:British Columbia; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004032:Diet; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors