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Implementing a Nutrition and Physical Activity Curriculum in Head Start Through an Academic‐Community Partnership
Author(s) -
Zahnd Whitney E.,
Smith Tracey,
Ryherd Susan J.,
Cleer Melissa,
Rogers Valerie,
Steward David E.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of school health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.851
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1746-1561
pISSN - 0022-4391
DOI - 10.1111/josh.12515
Subject(s) - curriculum , general partnership , head start , medical education , physical education , community based participatory research , childhood obesity , psychological intervention , medicine , participatory action research , psychology , obesity , nursing , pedagogy , political science , sociology , developmental psychology , anthropology , law , overweight
BACKGROUND Schools may be an effective avenue for interventions that prevent childhood obesity. I am Moving I am Learning/Choosy Kids © (IMIL/CK) is a curriculum recommended by Head Start (HS) for education in nutrition, physical activity, and healthy lifestyle habits. METHODS We formed an academic‐community partnership (ACP), the Springfield Collaborative for Active Child Health, to promote prevention of childhood obesity, in part, to implement the IMIL/CK curriculum in local HS sites. The ACP included a medical school, HS program, public school district, and state health department. RESULTS Community‐based participatory research principles helped identify and organize important implementation activities: community engagement, curriculum support, professional teacher training, and evaluation. IMIL/CK was piloted in 1 school then implemented in all local HS sites. All sites were engaged in IMIL/CK professional teacher training, classroom curriculum delivery, and child physical activity assessments. Local HS policy changed to include IMIL/CK in lesson plans and additional avenues of collaboration were initiated. Furthermore, improvements in physical activity and/or maintenance or improvement of healthy weight prevalence was seen in 4 of the 5 years evaluated. CONCLUSIONS An ACP is an effective vehicle to implement and evaluate childhood obesity prevention programming in HS sites.