Tag: Physical Activity

Valley Initiative to Advance Health and Learning in Schools (VITAHLS)

Title:Valley Initiative to Advance Health and Learning in Schools (VITAHLS)
Status:Completed
Topic:Nutrition / Diet;Physical Activity;School-based
Funding Source:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been the primary funding source, with supplemental funding in 2013-2014 from Griffin Hospital and the Jones Family Farm.
Funding Period:2011-2019
Study Design:N/A
Purpose:VITAHLS was founded in 2011 to promote healthy lifestyles (focusing on nutrition and physical activity) to PreK-12 students, students’ families, and school staff in the Lower Naugatuck Valley. VITAHLS has been a combined effort of the Yale-Griffin PRC, Griffin Hospital, school districts (Ansonia, Derby, Naugatuck, Seymour, and Shelton), a partner from the CT State Department of Education, and community partners (the Naugatuck Valley Health District, Ansonia Chargers Club, Massaro Community Farm, ShopRite Supermarket, Boys & Girls Club, Valley Early Child Regional Council, and Valley YMCA). The PRC played an active leadership role in VITAHLS during its first 8 years. After 2019, leadership will be transitioned to school district representatives.
Further Study Details:The PRC employed a VITAHLS coordinator from 2013-2019 to develop health promotion materials, plan meetings and events, oversee data collection, and serve as a resource for schools. Representatives of the PRC, school districts, and community partners attended monthly working group meetings. Health promotion efforts evolved and expanded over time and included: nutrition and classroom-based physical activity programs for elementary schools; a middle school nutrition program; an annual healthy cooking competition; a cookbook; school gardens; farm field trips; a nutritional scoring system in school cafeterias; a “Smarter Lunchroom” in one cafeteria; physical activity videos featuring local high school students; and weekly “Valley Health Challenge” messages. The PRC provided mini-grant funding to support staff-driven health promotion projects.
Findings:Student BMI: BMI z-scores generally did not change from the 2011-2012 to 2017-2018 school years, except in one district that had declines in both measures. The number of students, grade levels assessed, and timing of assessments varied from year to year and among districts, making comparisons between districts or over time somewhat challenging.Student fitness: Fitness test scores, reported by districts to the state of CT, improved in VITAHLS districts from 2011-2012 to 2017-2018, whereas scores for the state overall remained flat. Because these were aggregate data reported by grade, it was not possible to determine whether these differences were statistically significant.Student academic performance: There were no notable changes in performance measures in any of the districts.Program inventory survey: More than 50 nutrition and physical activity programs, activities, and policies were implemented during this project period. Partnership/staff survey: Among the 125 staff from the school districts who responded, 25% were “very familiar” with the VITAHLS initiative, 57% has some awareness of it, and 18% had never heard of it.Perceived impact of VITAHLS: Benefits included: access to information; professional development opportunities; networking; inter-district collaborations; links to community organizations; student wellness emphasis; ideas for staff wellness; mini-grant funding; other grant opportunities; leveraging the partnership to obtain funding from other sources; support in setting up school gardens; and an enhanced ability to address issues through shared efforts. Challenges included: inability of some staff to attend working group meetings without substitute coverage; lack of authority among some staff to make decisions on behalf of their schools or districts; and lack of awareness of VITAHLS among students’ families or other school staff.
Eligibility:Students in participating grades in participating schools in each district, and staff involved in any VITAHLS-related wellness programs available within their districts.
Evaluation:During the 2014-2019 funding period, VITAHLS served as the school-based “epicenter” of our Community Health Opportunities Organized with Schools at the Epicenter (CHOOSE) core research project. We evaluated the impact of the initiative on changes in students’ body mass index (BMI), fitness levels, and academic performance in repeated cross sections of students over time. We also assessed: awareness of VITAHLS among school staff; uptake of VITAHLS-related programs in schools; and the perceived impact of VITAHLS among school partners.
Changed at:3/27/2020 3:55 PMChanged by:
Created at:3/1/2017 4:38 AMCreated by:Lisa Seaberg

Physician Counseling and Patient Risk Factors for Chronic Disease: Training Resident Physicians to Promote Physical Activity: A Randomized Trial

Title:Physician Counseling and Patient Risk Factors for Chronic Disease: Training Resident Physicians to Promote Physical Activity: A Randomized Trial
Status:Completed
Topic:Physical Activity
Funding Source:American Heart Association
Funding Period:7/01 – 12/03
Study Design:Randomized Controlled Trial
Purpose:To evaluate the impact of a novel and relatively simple training program in behavioral counseling techniques (the Pressure System Model) on physicians’ counseling behavior, and to demonstrate that patients seen by physicians with specialized training in counseling techniques show greater increases in physical activity as compared to patients seen by physicians who have not received this training.
Further Study Details:Seven hospitals in the Yale-affiliated residency program participated in this study. The hospitals were randomly assigned to either participate in the Pressure System Model (PSM) training program or not. The first-year medical residents working at those hospitals assigned to PSM training were given a series of 4 training sessions, after which time they were instructed to use the Pressure System Model with their patients. Outcomes of interest included physician counseling, physician and patient perception, and patient physical activity; these outcomes were assessed by the use of questionnaires.
Findings:Results of this study suggested the need for physicians to adequately assess the presence of risk factors such as inadequate diet and sedentary lifestyle and discuss them with their patients during routine encounters. Based on their reported readiness to change, many patients may be receptive to any counseling the physician might then provide. The PSM-based behavioral counseling training program shows preliminary promise for increasing physical activity among healthy adults in primary care practices. The intervention is suitable for replication in diverse primary care settings.
Eligibility:First-year medical residents based at 7 Connecticut hospitals/clinics within the Yale-affiliated Internal Medicine Residency system and the patients assigned to these residents.
Changed at:1/17/2011 11:16 AMChanged by:Judy Treu
Created at:8/31/2010 12:01 PMCreated by:Griffin Hospital

Physical Activity Focus Groups in Secondary Schools

Title:Physical Activity Focus Groups in Secondary Schools
Status:Completed
Topic:Physical Activity;School-based
Funding Source:N/A
Funding Period:2014-2015
Study Design:Qualitative analysis using focus groups
Purpose:The PRC provided guidance and technical assistance to school districts in California and Colorado that conducted focus groups in middle and/or high schools. The goal was to seek students’ and teachers’ ideas to incorporate physical activity into secondary schools.
Further Study Details:School personnel conducted 4 focus groups in the Bonsall Unified School District in CA, and 6 focus groups in the St. Vrain Valley School District in CO (4 with students and 2 with teachers). Focus group moderators showed examples of videos designed to lead student and/or adult viewers in brief physical activity breaks. They elicited participants’ opinions concerning these videos, and their ideas for other ways to involve students in physical activity. 
Findings:TEACHERS: Teachers said activity breaks would benefit students’ health and ability to focus. Concerns included: student and teacher buy-in; limited space; safety; classroom management; wardrobe issues; mixed reactions among students; the potential for some students to feel awkward with dancing; students with disabilities; and time taken away from learning or standardized tests. In general, they thought they could fit 10 to 20 minutes of daily physical activity into their classrooms. Ideas included student-created videos, exercise stations, contests, music, yoga, and mobile device apps.STUDENTS: Most said activity breaks could provide a relief from sitting and a way to refocus. Some felt certain students could get distracted, or misuse the time to chat, goof off, or get rowdy. Challenges cited included: limited space; immobile desks; varied fitness levels; garment issues; risk of embarrassment; and noise disruptions. Classroom break suggestions included stretching, walking, light jogging, Zumba, Wi-Fit, Just Dance, cultural dancing, and exercise stations. Many said it would be fun to lead the class in an activity. They liked the idea of a friendly competition within a group or school. Suggestions for activity beyond the classroom included after-school clubs/sports, lunchtime games, and access to courts and fields before the start of the school day. Students wanted to be able to choose activities related to their interests. They shared ideas to integrate activity into lessons in social studies, science, and math. 
Eligibility:Students in participating schools/grades in the Bonsall Unified School District in California, and in the St. Vrain Valley School District in Colorado. 
Changed at:3/2/2017 9:45 AMChanged by:Lisa Seaberg
Created at:3/2/2017 9:45 AMCreated by:Lisa Seaberg

Online Physical Activity Resource Guide: Active Valley CT

Title:Online Physical Activity Resource Guide: Active Valley CT
Status:Completed
Topic:Community;Health Promotion & Wellness;Physical Activity;Program or Product Development
Funding Source:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Funding Period:2016-2019
Study Design:N/A
Purpose:The purpose was to: (1) create an online guide for residents of Lower Naugatuck Valley communities featuring low-cost and no-cost resources for physical activity; and (2) promote awareness and use of this guide. The ultimate goal was to improve Valley residents’ health, fitness, and quality of life through regular physical activity. This online guide served as a community portal for our 5-year (2014-2019) core research project titled Community Health Opportunities Organized with Schools at the Epicenter (CHOOSE).
Further Study Details:An advisory group of local stakeholders directed the development process.  Partners included the Naugatuck Valley Health Department, Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (NVCOG), Valley YMCA, a former CEO of the Valley United Way, and a local physician. The NVCOG contributed in-kind staffing and access to ESRI Story Map, a customized web app hosted in the ArcGIS Online Cloud. The PRC recruited and provided oversight to public health interns and volunteers who worked on this project.The completed guide, Active Valley CT: Your Active Lifestyle Resource for the Lower Naugatuck Valley  (AVCT), features resources in Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Derby, Naugatuck, Oxford, Seymour, and Shelton on an interactive map. It provides brief descriptions of resources, along with links to their official websites and driving directions on Google Maps. Users can search (based on the category of activity) for places to walk, run, hike, bike, swim, paddle a boat, play ball sports, or enjoy winter sports. AVCT also features playgrounds, open fields, state parks, nature centers, parks & recreation departments, and senior centers. This customized web app can be viewed on web browsers on computers, tablets and mobile phones. In 2019, we conducted an initial dissemination campaign to promote awareness of the guide.
Findings:Sustainability has been addressed via having the NVCOG house the platform.  Also, the NVCOG has decided to adopt Active Valley CT to serve its entire region of 19 municipalities, by building upon our own online guide to include points of no-cost and low-cost activities in all 19 member towns and cities.  This will be done by the NVCOG without the need for support from the PRC.AVCT can serve as a model for the creation of online portals by other PRCs or other public health experts in partnership with county governments, Councils of Government, or other government entities working together in a mutually beneficial way to service the residents of the communities that they represent. 
Eligibility:N/A
Evaluation:During the first four months after the guide was first posted (August-December 2019), the average number of online views exceeded 280 per month. We continue to track online views on a monthly basis. Another indicator of success has been the positive reaction to and planned uptake of the guide within several Griffin Hospital departments, including Cardiac Rehab, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Occupational Medicine, Bariatrics, Community Outreach, and Outpatient Case Management), and the planned use of the guide by Griffin’s employee wellness program for local employers. Ongoing promotion by our community partners is planned as part of the dissemination plan.
Changed at:3/27/2020 3:44 PMChanged by:
Created at:11/30/2017 6:42 AMCreated by:Lisa Seaberg

Nutrition Detectives / ABC for Fitness: Nutrition and Physical Activity Education for Elementary School Children

Title:Nutrition Detectives / ABC for Fitness: Nutrition and Physical Activity Education for Elementary School Children
Status:Completed
Topic:Nutrition / Diet;Physical Activity;School-based
Funding Source:Independence School District, with funding from the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City
Funding Period:2006-2009
Study Design:Structured, Multi-phase Initiative to Implement, Evaluate, and Disseminate School-Based Nutrition and Physical Activity Interventions
Purpose:To evaluate nutrition and physical activity programs for elementary school children, as well as promote healthy lifestyle and reverse the trend of obesity among students
Further Study Details:The PRC and the Independence School District in Missouri partnered to evaluate 2 programs. Nutrition Detectives provides “5 clues” to make healthful food choices, and ABC for Fitness offers 30 minutes of daily classroom-based physical activity. Phase 1 was a pilot study in 3 schools to identify the best intervention (Nutrition Detectives, ABC for Fitness, or both), and refine the programs and data collection. The combination of both programs was identified as the best intervention. Phase 2 evaluated both programs by comparing “pre” and “post” data (nutrition label literacy, body mass index (BMI), physical fitness, classroom behavior, and medication use) from 3 intervention and 2 control schools. In 2009-2012, we conducted a subsequent study – Advancing School & Community Engagement Now for Disease Prevention (ASCEND) –that compared a standard vs. enhanced intervention among elementary schools within this district, with another district serving as a control.
Findings:Phase 2 was completed in 2009. For Nutrition Detectives™, we found statistically significant improvements in scores on a standardized food label literacy quiz among intervention school students and their parents, compared to scores among control school students and parents. For ABC for Fitness™, we found no change in BMI over the course of the school year. However, intervention school students had statistically significant improvements in certain fitness measures (abdominal and upper body strength). Although we found no improvements in classroom behavior, we found a statistically significant reductions in the numbers of intervention school students receiving medication for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or asthma. For the subsequent study results, please refer to “Advancing School & Community Engagement Now for Disease Prevention (ASCEND).”
Eligibility:Second, third, and fourth grade students in the Independence School District in Missouri 
Changed at:3/2/2017 7:14 AMChanged by:Lisa Seaberg
Created at:8/31/2010 11:23 AMCreated by:Griffin Hospital

Health Promotion in the New Haven Public Schools (2007-2009)

Title:Health Promotion in the New Haven Public Schools (2007-2009)
Status:Completed
Topic:Physical Activity;School-based
Funding Source:Community Foundation for Greater New Haven; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Funding Period:2007-2009
Study Design:Pre/post feasibility study
Purpose:To evaluate nutrition and physical activity programs for elementary school children, as well as promote healthy lifestyle and reverse the trend of obesity among students and their families.
Further Study Details:The PRC collaborated with the New Haven Public Schools’ District Wellness Committee on a feasibility study to implement the Nutrition Detectives™ and ABC for Fitness™ programs in selected elementary schools. Nutrition Detectives is a 90-minute program that teaches 5 clues to make healthful food choices based on food labels and ingredient lists. ABC for Fitness guides classroom teachers to offer brief bursts of physical activity spread over the school day, ideally adding up to 30 minutes of daily activity. Year 1 (2007-08 school year) focused on an implementation and evaluation of Nutrition Detectives in fifth grade classes in 4 intervention and 4 control schools. Year 2 (2008-09 school year) included expansion of Nutrition Detectives to fifth grade classes in 5 additional schools, along with implementation and evaluation of ABC for Fitness in fourth grade classes in these schools. Relevant student outcomes incorporated into the evaluation plan included nutrition label literacy and standardized scores for 4 measures of physical fitness.
Findings:Fifth grade students who took part in Nutrition Detectives improved their ability to make healthful food choices, as measured by a 15% increase in scores on a standardized quiz. Fourth grade students in schools trained to offer ABC for Fitness showed statistically significant gains in two measures of fitness (curl-ups and right angle pushups) between the beginning and end of the 2008-09 school year. However, since teachers were not mandated to offer ABC for Fitness and no control schools were available to compare pre/post fitness scores, it is unclear whether the improved fitness scores were a t result of the ABC for Fitness program. This study has helped to lay the foundation for expanded obesity prevention efforts in the New Haven Public Schools.
Eligibility:Fourth and fifth grade students in selected schools in the New Haven Public Schools.
Changed at:3/1/2017 9:43 AMChanged by:Lisa Seaberg
Created at:8/31/2010 11:59 AMCreated by:Griffin Hospital

Evaluation of Pilot Implementation of Components of PE4Life in Selected Schools in New Haven, Connecticut

Title:Evaluation of Pilot Implementation of Components of PE4Life in Selected Schools in New Haven, Connecticut
Status:Completed
Topic:Physical Activity;School-based
Funding Source:New Haven Public Schools
Funding Period:2006
Study Design:Quasi-Experimental Prospective Intervention-Control
Purpose:To assess the impact of the use of fitness-monitoring technology, when added to the regular physical education curriculum, on students’ physical fitness levels and on teachers’ attitudes toward physical education.
Further Study Details:The 6 participating schools were divided into 2 groups, a pilot group and a control group. The groups were comprised of:2 elementary classes (4th grade),2 middle school classes (6th grade) and2 high school classes (9th -12th grade).The three pilot schools used heart rate monitors, pedometers, Trifit machine, BIO measure machine (BMI) and/or increased physical education class time to improve fitness levels. The study was designed so that each pilot school would use each piece of equipment in three 2-month cycles. Measures of fitness levels were recorded at the beginning and end of the school year using Fitnessgram; the measures included:aerobic capacity,Body Mass Index,abdominal muscle strength,upper body strength, andflexibility.Opinions of teachers in Intervention schools were elicited through surveys.
Findings:A small number of students took part in this pilot study19 Intervention and 18 Control students in 4th grade,25 Intervention and 21 Control students in 6th grade, and12 Intervention and 9 Control students in high school.The groups (chosen by convenience sampling) had statistically significant differences at baseline in some measures of physical fitness levels. Overall, students in the Control schools had statistically significant improvements in some of the fitness measures compared to those in the Intervention schools. Due to the small sample size and differences at baseline among students, it is difficult to draw conclusions about these results. It would be advisable to conduct a larger study with a larger sample size.Teachers who completed the surveys agreed that the use of the new technology during physical education classes raised awareness of physical fitness among participating students. They reported that it was easy to incorporate the technology into the existing curriculum, and that the amount of physical testing using the technology was not overwhelming to teachers or students. The teachers agreed that students would be interested and willing to use the new technology. Finally, they strongly agreed that the number of hours devoted to physical activity throughout the school day should and can be increased, and that it would be possible to overcome any obstacles to implementing a school program that increases daily physical activity among students.
Eligibility:Students enrolled in the intervention and control schools in the New Haven Public Schools District
Changed at:3/1/2017 9:41 AMChanged by:Lisa Seaberg
Created at:8/31/2010 11:53 AMCreated by:Griffin Hospital

Enhancing School and Community Engagement in Physical Activity and Nutrition

Title:Enhancing School and Community Engagement in Physical Activity and Nutrition
Status:Completed
Topic:Nutrition / Diet;Physical Activity;School-based;Training Services
Funding Source:Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, LLC, an affiliate of the WellPoint Foundation (funding provided to Quinnipiac University)
Funding Period:2010-2011
Study Design:Pre/post study
Purpose:To implement and evaluate two health programs in school districts in Hamden and Wallingford, CT.
Further Study Details:During the 2010-2011 school year, the PRC served as advisor to Quinnipiac University on a project to benefit the health of students in the Hamden and Wallingford school districts. The PRC provided training on the Nutrition Detectives and ABC for Fitness programs to faculty and students in the Quinnipiac University School of Health Sciences, who then partnered with teachers in Hamden and Wallingford to offer the programs to third and fourth grade students in selected schools. The PRC also provided technical assistance in using qualitative and quantitative methods to assess the effectiveness of the programs.  
Findings:Quinnipiac faculty/students and school staff collected pre/post data from 110 children in 2 intervention schools and 129 children in 2 control schools. Students who took part in the Nutrition Detectives program in intervention schools increased their food label literacy scores by 25% compared to their baseline scores. Due to circumstances beyond the control of the research team, inconsistencies in the timing and selection of physical fitness data collected by schools led to inclusive results in the assessment of ABC for Fitness. 
Eligibility:Third grade students in selected elementary schools in the Hamden and Wallingford school districts in Connecticut.
Changed at:3/2/2017 7:00 AMChanged by:Lisa Seaberg
Created at:8/31/2010 11:14 AMCreated by:Griffin Hospital

Community Health Opportunities Organized with Schools at the Epicenter (CHOOSE)

Title:Community Health Opportunities Organized with Schools at the Epicenter (CHOOSE)
Status:Completed
Topic:Community;Nutrition / Diet;Physical Activity;School-based
Funding Source:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Funding Period:2014-2019
Study Design:Varies, depending on individual interventions to be conducted as part of CHOOSE
Purpose:CHOOSE was the Yale-Griffin PRC’s core research project during our 2014-2019 five-year cycle of funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The purpose was to use a multi-level approach in schools and other community portals to improve diet quality and physical activity in children and adults. The CHOOSE project was designed to serve as a model template for other academic / community partnerships to promote healthy lifestyles in communities, using schools as the primary intervention portal, complemented by health promotion strategies utilizing other community portals.
Further Study Details:The overall CHOOSE intervention was conducted as four projects using complementary portals to reach different segments of the target community. For more information, please refer to each separate portal-based project shown below:Primary school-based intervention portal – Valley Initiative to Advance Health and Learning in Schools [VITAHLS]Worksite portal – Fruit and Vegetable Prescription ProgramOnline portal – Physical Activity Resource Guide (Active Valley CT)YMCA portal – Community-based Cooking Classes for Children
Eligibility:Varied, depending on the project
Evaluation:Varied, depending on the project
Changed at:3/27/2020 3:59 PMChanged by:
Created at:3/1/2017 3:19 AMCreated by:Lisa Seaberg

Advancing School & Community Engagement Now for Disease Prevention (ASCEND)

Title:Advancing School & Community Engagement Now for Disease Prevention (ASCEND)
Status:Completed
Topic:Nutrition / Diet;Physical Activity;School-based
Funding Source:Independence School District, with funding from the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City
Funding Period:2009-2012
Purpose:To compare the impact of offering a nutrition program and a physical activity program in elementary schools vs. further reinforcing the messages of these programs in the school, home, and supermarket settings on students’ nutrition knowledge, behavior, and fitness.  The Nutrition Detectives program provides “5 clues” to make healthful food choices, and ABC for Fitness offers 30 minutes of daily classroom-based physical activity.
Further Study Details:This was a follow-up to a 2006-2009 study (Nutrition Detectives/ABC for Fitness: Nutrition and Physical Activity Education for Elementary School Children) conducted in partnership with the Independence School District (ISD) in Missouri.  Our 2009-2012 study tested the effects of expanding our health promotion at a broader level to reach ISD students and their families. We randomly assigned ISD elementary schools to either a standard (8 schools) or high-intensity (9 schools) intervention, with 9 schools in the Raytown School District (RSD) serving as a control. The standard intervention offered the ND and ABC programs to third grade students. The high-intensity intervention also offered enhancements: (1) school setting (family nights to promote healthful eating and activity; nutrition & fitness articles in school newsletters; classroom pedometer challenge; healthy snacks and exercise breaks at open houses; increased physical activity promotion in after-school programs); (2) home setting (family kits to promote nutrition and physical activity); (3) supermarket setting (taste tests, recipes, cost comparisons, scavenger hunt for healthful foods)
Findings:Despite a high level of family engagement, we found no difference between standard, high-intensity, and control groups with regard to changes in body mass index (BMI). ISD students in both groups improved in all physical fitness measures, and some improvements were higher than those found among RSD students, but a fitness comparison of standard- and high-intensity groups within ISD yielded mixed results. Both intervention levels appeared to offer some benefits compared to control schools, but little additional benefit seemed to result from the high-intensity vs. the standard intervention. It is possible that the standard intervention led to a certain plateau of improved outcomes that could not have been further improved by offering an enhanced intervention. 
Eligibility:Third grade students in participating schools
Changed at:3/2/2017 8:07 AMChanged by:Lisa Seaberg
Created at:3/2/2017 8:07 AMCreated by:Lisa Seaberg