Eat Well and Keep Moving

Harvard School of Public Health

Purpose:

To equip children with the knowledge and skills they need to lead more healthful lives by choosing nutritious diets and being physically active

Target Population:

Fourth- and fifth-grade students in six intervention and eight match-control elementary schools in Baltimore, Maryland

Program Goals:

• Decrease students’ consumption of total and saturated fat
• Increase intake of fruits and vegetables
• Reduce television viewing
• Increase moderate and vigorous physical activity

Years in Operation:

1995 – present (first four years were part of the demonstration program)

Results:

The demonstration took place in 14 Baltimore elementary schools. All teachers who responded to the demonstration said that they would utilize the program in the future, and most students thought favorably of the lessons and activities. Of the 479 students for whom data was collected, there was a decrease in percentage of total calories from fat (P = 0.04) and saturated fat (P = 0.05), an increase in the consumption of fruits and vegetables (P = 0.01), and a small reduction in television viewing (P = 0.06).

Funding:

The original demonstration project was funded by a Department of Education – PEP Grant and by the Walton Foundation. Currently, the Baltimore Department of Education is sustaining the program on its own. Today, the program is available nationally through Human Kinetics.

Key Partners:

Baltimore City Department of Education

What Works and Why:

Eat Well and Keep Moving was well-received during its four-year demonstration program. Principals of participating schools gave the program priority and helped ensure its integration throughout the school. Teachers and other educators liked that the curriculum focused on the health and well-being of the whole child — the physical, social, emotional and intellectual dimensions.

Structure and Operations:

The Eat Well and Keep Moving curriculum is taught by elementary school teachers who use an interdisciplinary approach, including the curriculum in all class subjects (e.g., math, reading, science, social studies). Lessons are taught on nutrition and physical activity concepts. Some physical activity lessons involve students’ practicing a “safe workout,” while others have nutrition and food as themes for physical activity lessons. Schools have also included cafeteria and lunchtime programs in conjunction with the lessons. Concepts from the program are rein- forced at home through the distribution of flyers and newsletters on nutrition and physical fitness information. Teachers also participate in wellness training activities.

Barriers to Success:

All participating schools in the demonstration program observed a minimal effect from the physical education programs and from the after-school programs. Safety concerns as well as a lack of community facilities or organizations to promote activity also hindered the success of the program. Another barrier may have been the validity of self-reported results. Students may have misreported their results or changed their results based on other students’ results.

More Information:

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/prc/proj_eat.html

Download:

Download this program information in PDF format.