Saturday, November 8, 2014
:
8:30 AM
Enchantment Ballroom F (Hyatt)
*Names in bold indicate Presenter
The state of children’s physical wellbeing is a growing concern in the U.S. Over 84% of U.S. high school students ate vegetables fewer than three or more times per day, 75% of U.S. youth aged 12-15 did not engage in adequate daily physical activity, and 20% of households with children under 18 experienced food insecurity. Schools are an ideal setting to address these health concerns, but there is little evidence on whether schools actually embrace wellness programs in practice. The paper begins with a descriptive analysis of over 15 wide-reaching wellness programs adopted across the over 1,700 public schools in New York City and examines whether schools serving the neediest students, such as low-income and obese students, are likely to adopt these programs. The paper also explores the determinants of types and numbers of programs adopted. We find that a considerable number of schools adopt only one program while others adopt four or more, and we find a number of correlates between school characteristics and the types of programs adopted. The paper should be of interest to individuals working to improve student wellness, but will also be important to thinking about program evaluation, which is sometimes done one program at a time.