The Cooper Institute partnered with the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas to develop the Healthy Zone School Recognition Program (HSZRP), a school-based intervention that assists schools in fostering and maintaining healthier students and environments. The program is an incentive-based reward program honoring and supporting schools that reach out to their community to increase children’s healthy nutrition behaviors, health knowledge, physical fitness and activity levels.
Method:
In the second year of the program there were 32 Healthy Zone Schools selected (Year 1 Cohort n=12, Year 2 Cohort n =20). Schools in the program receive signs, banners, promotional materials, and recognition as well as financial resources to be used to enhance and influence healthy behaviors and outcomes. The Healthy Zone team works with physical education teachers to provide guidance and leadership, as well as connect schools with community resources to ensure that their program remains sustainable after the 3-year period is over. Fitnessgram® scores, psychosocial student surveys, and self-reported activities are collected in the fall and spring of the first year in the program, and again in the spring of each consecutive year. Changes in physical fitness and school-based health-oriented activities are tracked over the 3-year period.
Analysis/Results:
At the end of year 2, outcomes included increases in physical activities, nutrition activities, activities that promote health, and community engagement. There was a 73% increase in school partnerships with health-related organizations. Of the 32 schools in the program, 26 made changes to their health policies to encourage healthy behavior. Based on Fitnessgram® scores for aerobic capacity, 32% of students who were in the Needs Improvement Zone (NIZ) at baseline displayed improvement in their first year in the program and 47% displayed improvement by the second year. In the Year 2 Cohort, 20% displayed improvement by the end of their first year. For body composition, 21% of students who were in the NIZ at baseline displayed improvement in their first year in the program and 27% displayed improvement by the second year. In the Year 2 Cohort, 19% displayed improvement by the end of their first year.
Conclusions:
Schools participating in the first and second year of the HZSRP showed increases in community health-related promotional activities, policy changes and positive changes in Fitnessgram® results. Supportive resources are related to positive changes in school environment and student healthy behaviors and fitness levels.