Evolution of Local Wellness Policies in Pennsylvania

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Evolution of Local Wellness Policies in
Pennsylvania
Claudia Probart, PhD, RD Associate
Professor Department of Nutritional Sciences Penn
State University
Wellness and Academic Success From Policy to
Action Conference University Park, PA May 1, 2007
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• Work in Schools Related to Childhood Obesity
• Elaine McDonnell
• J. Elaine Weirich
• Charles Orlofsky
• Nutrition curriculum evaluation in 1992 and 1994
• Developed Project PA Campaign with PDE, 1995
• Developed Statewide Master Instructor SFSD
  program, 1995
• Received 8 Team Nutrition Grants from 1996
• Model Cafeteria/Classroom/Community, 1998
• Nutrition Friendly Schools, 2000
• Parents guide to preventing childhood obesity,
  2001
• Showcase Schools, 2002
• Healthy School Nutrition Environments, 2003
• Environmental Strategies To Improve Choices, 2004
• Promoting Nutrition/PA Afterschool Programs, 2005

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• Factors Associated with Competitive Food Sales
  and Participation in School Lunch (2003)
• Survey distributed to 50 of SFDs in public
  school districts
• Key Findings
• Timing of lunch associated with a la carte salesa
• Policy about bringing fast food into cafeteria
  associated with participation in school luncha
• Extent of soft drink ads associated with
  participation in school lunchb

Probart CK, et al., J Am Diet Assoc.
2006. Probart CK, et al., J Am Diet Assoc. 2006a.
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• Factors Associated with Competitive Food Sales
  and Participation in School Lunch (2003)
• Bottom Line
• Environmental and policy issues impact
• student behavior.

Probart CK, et al., J Am Diet Assoc.
2006. Probart CK, et al., J Am Diet Assoc. 2006a.
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• Competitive Food Policies Perceptions of School
  Foodservice Directors and Principals
• Survey distributed to 50 of SFDs in public
  school districts and 100 principals
• Key Findings
• Possible weak enforcement of policies
• SFDs and principals differed on 12 of 16 policy
  questions
• Principals more likely to say policy exists and
  is enforced.
• SFDs more likely to be not sure.

McDonnell, et al., J Am Diet Assoc. 2006
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McDonnell, et al., J Am Diet Assoc. 2006
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McDonnell, et al., J Am Diet Assoc. 2006
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Use of Stakeholder Theory to Examine School
Foodservice Directors Decision Making Processes
Related to A la Carte Offerings - 2004
SFS Director
Stakeholders
District Administrators
Principals
Parents
Students
Primary Requirements
Low prices No complaints from children
Wide variety Choice Familiar foods
Happy students Good behavior
Revenue
Probart et al., Journal of Child Nutrition and
Management, 2006.
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School Foodservice Directors Perceptions and
Concerns About Local Wellness Policy Development,
Implementation, and Enforcement - 2005

• 5 focus groups 46 SFDs
• Key Findings
• Barriers included funding, time, buy-in from key
• stakeholders, and enforcement issues

McDonnell et al., Journal of Child Nutrition and
Management, 2006.
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Current Local Wellness Policy Project

• Pennsylvania Local Wellness Policy Training
  (USDA/PDE)
• Quantification of LWP goals
• Development of Administrative Guidance templates
• Collection of Promising Practices related to
  implementation
• Involvement in PDE/AFHK LWP conference

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Policy Goals Selected by PA School Districts -
2007
(BASED ON ANALYSIS OF 536 POLICIES.)
Top Goals for Nutrition Education
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Policy Goals Selected by PA School Districts -
2007
(BASED ON ANALYSIS OF 536 POLICIES.)
Bottom Goals for Nutrition Education
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Policy Goals Selected by PA School Districts -
2007
(BASED ON ANALYSIS OF 536 POLICIES.)
Top Goals for Physical Activity
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Policy Goals Selected by PA School Districts -
2007
(BASED ON ANALYSIS OF 536 POLICIES.)
Bottom Goals for Physical Activity
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Policy Goals Selected by PA School Districts -
2007
(BASED ON ANALYSIS OF 536 POLICIES.)
Top Goals for Other School-Based Activities
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Policy Goals Selected by PA School Districts -
2007
(BASED ON ANALYSIS OF 536 POLICIES.)
Bottom Goals for Other School-Based Activities
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Reported Use of PA Nutrition Guidelines for
Competitive Foods
Based on LEA reporting on LWP Checklist (n 622)
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Other Current Local Wellness Policy Projects

• Team Nutrition Local Wellness Policy
  Demonstration Schools (PDE/USDA)
• Assessing policy development and implementation
  process in demonstration versus comparison schools

• Factors Associated with Successful Development
  and
• Implementation of School Wellness Policies
  (Robert
• Wood Johnson Foundation)