Search
Advanced Search
Share|
spacer.gif Winning With Wellness spacer.gif
 
Ranking Evidence-Based Practice
Description Winning With Wellness (WWW) included the following eight program areas: nutrition services, health education, physical education, school health services, counseling and psychological services, healthy school environment, school site health promotion for staff, and family and community involvement. The nutrition services component consisted of the Go, Slow, and Whoa program. This program categorizes food into three main groups using traffic lights as a metaphor: green (i.e. fruits and vegetables), yellow (i.e. grains), and red (ie. candy). RDs analyzed school menus and made suggestions on ways to make them healthier. Health education consisted of bringing in professionals from Tennessee’s America on the Move program to train teachers in the Balance First program. The Balance First program taught teachers in energy balance and how to use a pedometer. WWW created indoor trails to promote physical activity in winter weather. Teachers were trained and taught Move it Moments, which is a combination of desk-side stretching, strengthening, and aerobic exercises.

School Health Services and Psychological Services helped measure student’s BMI and provided parents with information regarding their child’s weight status and screening results. To create a healthy school environment, WWW replaced soda vending machines with water and non-fat or low-fat milk. Also, guidelines were suggested for food served in the classrooms. School site health promotion for staff: consisted of a wellness initiative for teachers and staff members to improve their own health. Family and community involvement required that teachers send home handouts coinciding with health topics covered in class, and encouraged parents to volunteer in the cafeteria to aid students in making healthy food choices.
Goal / Mission The goal of the Winning With Wellness (WWW) pilot project is to promote physical activity and healthier eating habits in order to reduce and prevent childhood obesity.
Results / Accomplishments This program used a prospective cohort study as its study design. 114 third and fourth grade students participated in the study along with 98% of the school’s teachers. Teacher surveys show that following implementation of the program, students consumed much healthier food and drinks, and there was a significant decrease in the number of “whoa” foods purchased in the cafeteria. Surveys and pedometer data confirmed an increase in physical activity of students during school hours. Another improvement was teacher’s increased support for healthier nutrition and increased physical activity in schools.

Health effects of this program were observed through measures of BMI, survey observations, cafeteria records and pedometer data. While there was very little change in BMI, pedometer data of 48 third and fourth grade students showed an increase of 886 steps per day (p < 0.001). Records from the cafeteria reported significantly fewer “whoa” foods offered (p < 0.001) and purchased by or served to students after program implementation (p < 0.004).
Categories Health / Exercise, Nutrition, & Weight
Health / Children's Health
Organization(s) East Tennessee State University
Date of Publication 2009
Date of Implementation 2005
Geographic Type Rural
Location State: Tennessee
Primary Contact Karen E. Schetzina, MD, MPH
Department of Pediatrics
East TN State University
P.O. Box 70578
Johnson City, TN 37614

(423) 439-7320
schetzin@etsu.edu
http://www.easttnmedicalnews.com/news.php?viewS...
For more details http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19525708

http://www.frederick.k12.va.us/education/compon...
Target Audience Children
Submitted By Coral Rudie, Elisabeth Sevy, Sylvia Tangney - UC Berkeley School of Public Health
Back to Promising Practices Home