Participatory Prevention Research Model Promotes Environmental Change for Healthier Schools

Abstract

Barriers exist to healthy eating and physical activity for children in the school environment. Modifiable school environmental factors have led to the development of the Nutrition Friendly Schools and Communities (NFSC) model to prevent the development of overweight in school children and adolescents. The design of the NFSC environmental intervention is to actively engage the school community to prevent overweight in school-aged children. This article presents data measuring the environmental changes achieved by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) elementary schools participating in a 3-year participatory research pilot study funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). An objective of the pilot study is to determine whether any or all of the 15 steps developed for the NFSC model could be implemented. Further, researchers want to know if any of the study schools could implement the NFSC model as a whole during the allotted time of the pilot study.

Training Dietetic Interns to do Outcomes Research/Management using Community-based Participatory Research

“…Additionally students reported being satisfied with their abilities to develop and review policies and discuss the impact of policy decisions on their programs. The results of this study of the PRECEDE-PROCEED model is supported by other results regarding the effectiveness of CBPR for advocating for policy changes [28] or other environmental supports [27].…”

“…CBPR has also effectively improved the health of the community through ecological approaches. CBPR has guided environmental changes [27] or new policies [28,29] in support of community health outcomes management. CBPR has also been used for outcomes management as a community chronic care model to manage diabetes [30].…”

The Use of Mentoring Programs to Improve Energy Balance Behaviors in High‐risk Children

“…PARADE was organized around an ecological model addressing multiple levels of influence (individual, family, organizational); the intervention reflected constructs from social cognitive theory including observational learning, knowledge, and self efficacy (31,32). Consistent with our prior work (14,33,34) a community‐based participatory approach and extensive formative research guided the development of content and structure of the PARADE intervention (35,36). Methods to identify core content included a series of developmental meetings with mentoring program staff, structured interviews, and pilot testing with children, parents, and mentors.…”

“…Finally, the participatory approach to the development of PARADE ensuring content, structure, and flexibility, enhanced the likelihood PARADE would be institutionalized as an ongoing component of the mentoring programs (35,36). Because PARADE is incorporated within these mentoring agencies, changes will likely be reinforced and enhanced overtime as the intervention is continually delivered.…”

“…This is an important accomplishment since mentoring programs can reach underserved and high needs school‐aged children in a meaningful way, without adding to an already content laden school curriculum. The use of participatory methods may assure the appropriateness of PARADE for use in other urban settings and organizations further enhancing its uptake and impact (35,36,56).…”