Journal
HEALTH PROMOTION PRACTICE
Volume 19, Issue 6, Pages 873-883Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC
DOI: 10.1177/1524839917752109
Keywords
school wellness policies; nutrition policy; disparities; low-income; schools
Categories
Funding
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [2B01OT009025]
- CDC [5U58DP003497]
- CDC, Prevention Research Centers Program [U48 DP001929]
- Nutrition and Obesity Policy Research and Evaluation Network (NOPREN) Special Interest Project [12-062]
- University of Maryland Prevention Research Center
- Summer Program in Obesity, Diabetes and Nutrition Research Training under National Institutes of Health [T35DK095737]
- NATIONAL CENTER FOR CHRONIC DISEASE PREV AND HEALTH PROMO [U58DP003497, U48DP001929] Funding Source: NIH RePORTER
- NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DIABETES AND DIGESTIVE AND KIDNEY DISEASES [T35DK095737] Funding Source: NIH RePORTER
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Background. Local wellness policies (LWPs) are mandated among school systems to enhance nutrition/physical activity opportunities in schools. Prior research notes disparities in LWP implementation. This study uses mixed methods to examine barriers/enablers to LWP implementation, comparing responses by student body income. Method. Schools (n = 744, 24 systems) completed an LWP implementation barriers/ enablers survey. Semistructured interviews (n = 20 random subsample) described barriers/enablers. Responses were compared by majority of lower (50% free/ reduced-price meals; lower income [LI]) versus higher income (HI) student body. Results. In surveys, LI and HI schools identified common barriers (parents/families, federal/state regulations, students, time, funding) and enablers (school system, teachers, food service, physical education curriculum/resources, and staff). Interviews further elucidated how staffing and funding served as enablers for all schools, and provide context for how and why barriers differed by income: time, food service (HI schools), and parents/families (LI schools). Conclusions. Findings support commonalities in barriers and enablers among all schools, suggesting that regardless of economic context, schools would benefit from additional supports, such as physical education and nutrition education resources integrated into existing curricula, additional funding, and personnel time dedicated to wellness programming. LI schools may benefit from additional funding to support parent and community involvement.
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