Grant: Operating Grant: Population Health Intervention Research

In many industrialized nations, including Canada, the prevalence of childhood obesity has increased at an alarming rate. There is a strong consensus that school-based policy strategies may have the greatest impact on childhood obesity, since such an approach can reach the majority of youths. However, it is unknown whether obesity prevention-focused policies are fully implemented or implemented as intended and whether such policies translate into change in physical activity (PA), nutrition behaviours and overall weight (Body Mass Index (BMI)) among the target student population. In British Columbia (BC), a number of policy strategies to address childhood obesity have recently been enacted, including the BC Ministries of Health and Education Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales (GFBS), and the BC Ministry of Education Daily Physical Activity (DPA) initiative. The primary aims of this study are to evaluate the implementation of the GFBS policy and DPA initiative across BC and examine factors influencing their implementation. Our secondary aim is to examine the influence of school PA and nutrition policies on student PA and eating behaviours and overall weight (BMI). All BC school principals (N = 1399 based on our eligibility criteria) will be surveyed to address our primary aim. In addition, we will use qualitative interviews and school audits (n=25 schools) to gain more in-depth knowledge about factors that influence implementation. To address our secondary aim, we will perform an analysis of previously collected data among 513 schools and among 29,315 students. Findings from this research will allow the province of BC to make evidence-based course corrections where necessary and provide evidence for continued investment in school-based approaches. Results will also inform other jurisdictions in Canada enacting or considering school-based policy strategies to improve students' health.