Background/Purpose Kentucky's low-socioeconomic status, rural, children fare poorly in physical activity and nutrition habits, thus contributing the state's high overweight and obesity rates. Four low-socioeconomic status, rural elementary schools and their communities were targeted to participate in a three-year, multi-intervention study entitled Project BALANCE (Beneficial Activity Levels and Nutritional Choices Everyday) based on their district's low School Health Index scores. School-, university-, and community-partners collaborated to implement physical education and nutrition networking meetings, participated in food preparation/nutrition workshops, advocated health through media promotions, hosted community Fitness Fun Nights, and aligned each school's wellness policy with national and state physical education, nutrition, and health standards. The purpose of this study was to determine if Project BALANCE interventions improved children's physical activity and nutrition habits.
Method Paired- and independent-samples t-tests were employed to analyze Year 1's baseline (January 2011) and post-intervention (May 2011) four-day pedometer steps logs and previous-day nutrition survey data and to determine if differences existed in elementary school girls' and boys' habits.
Analysis/Results From baseline to post-intervention, children increased their four-day pedometer steps averages from 4618 to 7379, t(720) = -17.72, p < .01; previous-day fruit consumption from 1.08 to 1.39, t(1265) = -6.68, p < .01; and previous-day vegetable consumption from 2.42 to 3.92, t(1267) = -13.02, p < .01. Girls consumed more fruits, t(1344) = -2.15, p < .05 and vegetables, t(1337) = -2.51, p < .05 than boys post-intervention.
Conclusions Results from Year 1's data indicated that Project BALANCE interventions were successful in improving children health behaviors.