title: Evaluation of the healthy schools program: Part I. Interim progress.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Federal and state policies identify schools as a setting to prevent childhood obesity, but schools need better health-promoting strategies. The objective of this study was to evaluate interim progress in schools receiving hands-on training from the Healthy Schools Program, the nation's largest school-based program aimed at preventing childhood obesity. The 4-year program targets schools with predominantly low-income, African American, or Hispanic students.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2010 we assessed schools that enrolled in the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 school years. School representatives completed an inventory of 8 content areas: policy and systems, school meals, competitive foods and beverages, health education, physical education, physical activity outside of physical education, before- and after-school programs, and school employee wellness. Schools' baseline inventory was compared by t test with the most recent inventory available.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Schools made significant changes in all content areas, and effect sizes were moderate to large.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participating schools improved environmental policies and practices to prevent childhood obesity. The program is a resource to implement recent federal and state policies.
authors.affiliation: RMC Research Corporation, Portland, Oregon, USA.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beam
authors.forename: Ginny
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ehrlich
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Donze Black
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Block
authors.forename: Laura C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Leviton
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D002648:Child; D006078:Government Programs; D006290:Health Planning Technical Assistance; D006293:Health Promotion; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011203:Poverty; D011361:Professional Competence; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012572:School Health Services; D014481:United States