ACTIVE KIDS AFTER SCHOOL:
THE ROLE OF AFTERSCHOOL
IN OBESITY PREVENTION
Judy Nee, President
jnee@naaweb.org
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
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
Children’s Activities in After-School
Arrangements Relevant to Obesity Issue
Type of
Activity
Total kids
Relative
Care
6,041
Nonrelative
Care
Center or
School Programs
2,304
6,680
Self-Care
4,765
TV/videos/
Video games/
music
59%
48%
10%
58%
Outdoor
play/activities
or sports
36%
49%
49%
24%
Eating/Snacks
15%
19%
6%
10%
Computers
13%
10%
12%
24%
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)
Physical Activity
• Close to half (49%) of children (K-8) in centeror 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%
Sedentary Activities
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.
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 selfcare were reported to engage in eating or
snacking, compared with only 6% in afterschool
programs.
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)
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 middleschools 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)
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
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.
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)
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 student’s participation time, focus on fitness
components that will continue with the child into adulthood, and avoid
eliminating or singling-out students.
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.
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 leadership—training of staff is a
key component of a successful program
• Strive to develop positive lifelong attitudes toward
wellness and physical activity
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.