ACTIVE KIDS AFTER SCHOOL: THE ROLE OF AFTERSCHOOL IN OBESITY PREVENTION

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ACTIVE KIDS AFTER SCHOOL THE ROLE OF
AFTERSCHOOL IN OBESITY PREVENTION
Judy Nee, President jnee_at_naaweb.org
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National AfterSchool Association

• The Voice of the Afterschool Profession
• Professional Association with 9,000 members and
  36 state affiliates
• NAA Conference Largest in the field!
• March 21-23, 2007 Phoenix, AZ
• www.NAAconference.org
• National Standards for Quality Programs
• Only National Accreditation System
• AfterSchool Review Professional journal

NAAweb.org
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Afterschool practitioners have a history of
promoting behaviors that help prevent obesity

• NAA National Standards for Quality Programs
  include physical activity and nutrition
• Practitioners have advocated for a focus on the
  whole child including a healthy life-style
• Balanced programs provide opportunities for and
  encourage physical activity and limit passive,
  sedentary video-related activities
• High quality programs teach children to follow
  good nutrition guidelines and take care of self

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Childrens Activities in After-School
Arrangements Relevant to Obesity Issue
Type of Relative Nonrelative Center or
Self-Care Activity Care Care School Programs

From National Household Education Survey of
before- and after-school care arrangements for
children, grades K-8(Kleiner, et al., 2004
based on data collected in 2000)
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Physical Activity

• Close to half (49) of children (K-8) in center-
  or school-based programs are reported to engage
  in outdoor play or physical activities
• Children in nonrelative care have the same
  participation rate, while children in relative
  care have somewhat less (36).
• Children in self-care are the least likely to
  engage in these activities - only 24

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Sedentary Activities
The difference is dramatic

• Children in afterschool programs were far less
  likely to be reported as engaging in passive and
  sedentary activities such as watching television
  or videos and playing video games. Only 10 of
  children in afterschool programs are reported to
  engage in these activities. This compares with
  59 in relative care, 48 in nonrelative care,
  and 49 in self-care.

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Nutrition

• Children in afterschool programs were less
  likely to spend time eating. 15 of children in
  relative care, 19 in nonrelative care, and 10
  in self-care were reported to engage in eating or
  snacking, compared with only 6 in afterschool
  programs.

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Conclusions

• Data show the important potential of formal
  afterschool programs in encouraging behaviors
  that contribute to a healthier lifestyle and
  reduced incidence of obesity.
• From National Household Education Survey of
  before and after school care arrangements for
  children, grades K-8 (Kleiner, et al, 2004 data
  collected in 2000)

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Research Supports this Picture
A study of adolescent time use and health
behavior found that afterschool participants
spent less time eating and watching television
and more time engaged in sports than
nonparticipants (Vandell, et al., 2003) The
evaluation of the Planet Health curriculum to
promote a healthier lifestyle developed by the
Harvard School of Public Health for
middle-schools found that reductions in
television viewing predicted reductions in
obesity among girls participating in the project.
(Gortmaker, et al., 1999) TASC evaluation
identified the inclusion of sports and recreation
activities as a feature of high-performing
afterschool programs. The evaluators speculated
that these activities helped attract participants
to the program and provided the physical exercise
needed for mental acuity. (Birmingham, et al.,
2005)
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How Can Afterschool Help Prevent Obesity?

• Focus on the whole child, providing a variety of
  activities for cognitive, physical, and social
  development
• Be health-centered rather than weight-centered
  and maintain cultural sensitivity
• Limit opportunities for passive, sedentary
  activities
• Include nutrition education and activities and
  model with healthy snacks
• Increase the provision of and participation in
  physical activities
• Become more intentional about the content and
  delivery of physical activities

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Afterschool Programs Counteracting Obesity

• U Move with the Starzz Salt Lake City
• Promotes healthy lifestyles through physical
  activity
• Hearts N Parks, developed by the National Heart,
  Lung, and Blood Institute and the National
  Recreation and Park Association. Increases
  knowledge about heart-healthy lifestyles,
  improves attitudes toward and desire to
  participate in physical activities, and
  introduces and encourages participation in a
  ranges of physical activities.
• Deal Me In Food and Fitness - California
• Provides hands-on, engaging ways to introduce
  or reinforce healthy eating and physical activity
  messages in an afterschool setting.

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Afterschool Programs Counteracting Obesity

• Kids on the Move Atlanta, GA
• Children ages 8 to 12 at high risk for
  cardiovascular diseases participate in organized
  physical activity for 25 minutes three times a
  week and participate in discussions on healthy
  lifestyle topics
• Shape Up Somerville Eat Smart. Play Hard.?
  Somerville, Massachusetts
• Trains afterschool programs on cooking and
  nutrition education as well as how to use The
  HEAT Club (Health Eating and Active Time
  afterschool curriculum)

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Curricula

• CANFit (California Adolescent Nutrition and
  Fitness) Program - Training and technical
  assistance and curricula, including CANFit Super
  Manual, P.H.A.T. (Promoting Healthy Activities
  Together), and Do More, Watch Less.
• SPARK After School - Physical activity program
  for children ages 5-14, with philosophy of
  include ALL youth, ALL youth active, and ALL
  youth learning to enjoy movement.
• Fitness Fun Forever - Florida Department of
  Education - Seeks to maximize each students
  participation time, focus on fitness components
  that will continue with the child into adulthood,
  and avoid eliminating or singling-out students.

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Curricula

• CATCH Kids Club - Physical activity and nutrition
  education program for children grades K-5 in an
  afterschool/summer setting. Includes nutrition
  education materials and a physical activity
  component.
• Eat Well and Keep Moving - Focuses on grades 4-5.
  Includes walking club and walking logs as well as
  physical activities such as warm-up, stretch,
  finess activity, cool-down.

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Best Practices for Increasing Physical Activity

• Activities are inclusive, voluntary, and
  developmentally appropriate, with a variety so
  there is something to appeal to everyone
• Make physical activity fun--avoid activities that
  make children sit-out
• Avoid situations where children have negative
  experiences with sports that follow them into
  adulthood. Goal is to make physical activity a
  lifelong practice
• Provide quality adult leadershiptraining of
  staff is a key component of a successful program
• Strive to develop positive lifelong attitudes
  toward wellness and physical activity

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Afterschool Programs as a Support

• The main point is to incorporate healthy
  lifestyle components in afterschool programs, but
  not create expectations that afterschool programs
  are the sole answer to the problem of childhood
  obesity.
• Many evaluations showed little or no significant
  weight reductions, although they have introduced
  children to concepts and behaviors that will stay
  with them and benefit them later in life.
• Before we can influence their lifestyles, we have
  to get them to come to the program.