Objectives: We conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of Students for Nutrition and eXercise (SNaX), a middle-school-based obesity-prevention intervention combining school-wide environmental changes, multimedia, encouragement to eat healthy school cafeteria foods, and peer-led education and marketing. Methods: We randomly selected schools from the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and assigned five to the intervention group and five to a wait-list control group. School records were obtained for number of fruits and vegetables served, students served lunch, and snacks sold per attending student. Pre- and post-intervention surveys assessed psychosocial variables among 2,997 seventh-graders (75% of all seventh-graders across schools). Hypotheses: For the RCT of SNaX, we hypothesized that SNaX would lead to increases in the proportion of students served in the cafeteria (because SNaX markets cafeterias' healthy foods); increased fruit and vegetable servings (because SNaX increases access to sliced/bite-sized fruits and vegetables); decreased school store snack sales; and greater water consumption. We also hypothesized that SNaX would lead to more positive attitudes about the cafeteria and water, improve obesity-prevention knowledge, and increase intentions to drink water.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
2,997
These schools received the entirety of Students for Nutrition and eXercise, a middle-school-based obesity-prevention intervention combining school-wide environmental changes, multimedia, encouragement to eat healthy school cafeteria foods, and peer-led education and marketing
RAND Corporation
Santa Monica, California, United States
Number of students obtaining lunch per day by National School Lunch Program (NSLP) eligibility
We obtained the number of students obtaining lunch per day (by National School Lunch Program (NSLP) eligibility) from schools.
Time frame: 5 months
Number of fruits and vegetables served per day
We obtained the number of fruits and vegetables served per day from the school cafeterias.
Time frame: 5 months
Attitudes about the cafeteria
Attitudes about the cafeteria were calculated by survey data using the mean of two 7-point scales representing attitudes about the cafeteria: unsatisfying/satisfying and bad for my health/good for my health.
Time frame: 5 months
Attitudes about water
Attitudes about water were measured with a survey including an 11-point scale (very negatively/very positively).
Time frame: 5 months
Knowledge about healthy eating and physical activity
Knowledge about healthy eating and physical activity was measured with a survey containing 6 true/false items.
Time frame: 5 months
Intentions to drink water
Intentions to drink water were assessed with two survey items, "How likely is it that you will drink water \[or drink water from a refillable water bottle\] the next day you are in school?" with 5-point scales (extremely likely/extremely unlikely).
Time frame: 5 months
Water consumption frequency
Water consumption frequency was assessed by survey with, "How often do you usually drink tap water?" and "How often do you usually use a refillable water bottle to drink water?" (every day, a few times a week, once a week, twice a month, once a month, less than once a month, never).
Time frame: 5 months
Number of snacks sold per day
We obtained the data on the number of snacks sold per day from the school store.
Time frame: 5 months
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.