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Results of Evaluability Assessments of Local Wellness Policies in Six U.S. School Districts

Categorized Under: Health, Research + Evaluation

 

 

A U.S. federal mandate that school districts devise and implement local wellness policies (LWPs) has potential widespread impact on the nutritional content of foods and beverages available in schools and on the amount of physical activity that students engage in; however, evidence concerning the mandate's effectiveness is limited. This study, published in the Journal of School Health, a publication of the American School Health Association, describes the content of LWPs of six U.S. school districts and steps taken toward their implementation and evaluation.

In recognition of the role that schools can play in improving students’ health and in response to the growing obesity epidemic, the Child Nutrition and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Reauthorization Act of 2004 required each school district participating in a federally funded meal program to establish an LWP by the start of the 2006–2007 school year. These LWPs were to include nutrition guidelines for the foods and beverages available on school campuses during the school day; set goals for nutrition education, physical activity, and other school-based activities designed to promote student wellness; and describe how LWP implementation will be monitored. School districts were also required to involve a variety of stakeholders in the development of the policy.


Authored By

  • Nicola Dawkins

    Vice PresidentICF International

    Nicola Dawkins is a behavioral scientist with expertise in designing and implementing research and evaluation studies. She has 17 years of experience in developing research designs, developing and administering questionnaires and surveys, facilitating expert panels, conducting interviews and focus groups, and performing sophisticated quantitative and qualitative data analysis. She has applied her skills in formative, process, and outcome research and evaluation to many health-related initiatives, and her public health content expertise focuses on obesity prevention, women’s health, health disparities, and community-institutional partnerships.

    Dr. Dawkins is highly skilled in evaluability assessment and has delivered several presentations and trainings and prepared manuscripts on the method, including co-editing an issue on the Systematic Screening and Assessment (SSA) Method for New Directions for Evaluation (which received AEA’s Outstanding Publication Award for 2011). She provides technical direction to ICF's research and evaluation community.

    Dr. Dawkins has multiple degrees from Emory University: a Ph.D. in Sociology, an M.P.H. in Behavioral Science and Health Education, and an Executive M.B.A. She has also completed coursework toward a Certificate of Advanced Study in Evaluation from the Claremont Graduate School.

Insight Details

Published: Aug 1, 2011
Author: Seraphine Pitt Barnes, Leah Robin, Terrence O'Toole, Nicola Dawkins (ICF), Laura Kettel Khan, Laura Leviton
Source: Journal of School Health
 
 
 
 

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