Engaging Stakeholders From Volunteer-Led Out-of-School Time Programs in the Dissemination of Guiding Principles for Healthy Snacking and Physical Activity

Abstract

BackgroundLittle effort has focused on the role of volunteer-led out-of-school time (OST) programs (ie, enrichment and sports programs) as key environments for the promotion of healthy eating and physical activity habits among school-aged children. The Healthy Kids Out of School (HKOS) initiative developed evidence-based, practical guiding principles for healthy snacks, beverages, and physical activity. The goal of this case study was to describe the methods used to engage regional partners to understand how successful implementation and dissemination of these principles could be accomplished.Community ContextHKOS partnered with volunteer-led programs from 5 OST organizations in Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire to create a regional “learning laboratory.”MethodsWe engaged partners in phases. In the first phase, we conducted focus groups with local volunteer program leaders; during the second phase, we held roundtable meetings with regional and state program administrators; and in the final phase, we conducted additional outreach to refine and finalize implementation strategies.OutcomesImplementation strategies were developed based on themes and information that emerged. For enrichment programs, strategies included new patch and pin programs that were consistent with the organizations’ infrastructure and usual practices. For sports programs, the main strategy was integration with online trainings for coaches.InterpretationThrough the engagement process, we learned that dissemination of the guiding principles in these large and complex OST organizations was best accomplished by using implementation strategies that were customized, integrated, and aligned with goals and usual practices. The lessons learned can benefit future efforts to prevent obesity in complex environments.

Integrating nutrition and physical activity promotion: A scoping review

“…Some interventions focus on out-of-school time (OST) programmes as key environments for targeting school-aged children and adolescents. Dissemination of guiding principles for healthy snacks, beverages, and physical activity in large and complex OST organisations has been observed to be most successful when implementation strategies are customised, aligned and integrated with existing goals and routine practices [48,50]. Competing demands for time in the curriculum have been found to be a barrier to participation [50,51].…”

“…Initiatives focused on youth engagement in public-private partnerships, record impacts on policy and industry behaviour [41,52]. The use of 'star power' of professional sport organisations with celebrity status in collaboration with youth groups has shown positive outcomes at the individual, group and community levels [45,50]. By getting directly involved, young people become more aware of their own behaviour and take steps to get healthier.…”

“…Interventions that impact on health and wellbeing of adolescents (e.g. through increased opportunities for healthy eating, and increased uptake of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) components) offer second chances to the most disadvantaged [43,50,51,53]. Investments in adolescent health and wellbeing bring benefits not only in their future adult life, but also for the next generation of children as future parents.…”

On the Intersection of Health, Well-being, and Youth Development

“…Out-of-school time is a key environment for promoting positive youth development in general (Smith, Witherspoon, & Osgood, 2017), as well as for promoting health (Beets, Webster, Saunders, & Huberty, 2013;Folta et al, 2015). Some state and national organizations have developed health-related policies, for example, regarding healthy eating and physical activity in 4-H Council, n.d.).…”

Snacks, beverages, and physical activity during volunteer-led out-of-school-time programs: a cross-sectional analysis

“…These organizations were selected due to their large national reach and, ultimately, due to their commitment at the leadership level to disseminate healthy program guidelines. Following this effort, HKOS developed programs and training materials to support volunteer-led enrichment and youth sports OST programs in adopting three evidence-based principles for obesity prevention: Drink Right: Choose water over sugar-sweetened beverages; Move More: Boost movement and physical activity in all programs; and Snack Smart: Fuel up on fruits and vegetables [ 25 ].…”