A recent outreach program by the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, in conjunction with the city of Somerville, is proving to be successful as researchers release their findings.
The project, Shape Up Somerville (SUS), focused on educating first through third-graders in public elementary schools across Somerville about healthy eating habits and proper exercise. From 2002 through 2005, these schools implemented many new policies with the hope of encouraging healthier lifestyles among children.
Under the direction of Friedman School Assistant Professor Christina Economos, researchers implemented a variety of strategies in nine Somerville elementary schools. These strategies involved improving the variety and quality of healthy foods available in school cafeterias, eliminating or limiting sugary or unhealthful foods and promoting nutrition information.
Students also learned about proper nutrition through a new curricular component instituted by SUS. The Health Eating and Active Time (HEAT) Club focused on four themes: Increasing consumption of whole grains, fruit and dairy while decreasing intake of fattening and sugary high-calorie foods. The club also encouraged students to increase the amount of active time each day while minimizing time spent on the couch. This curriculum continued after the end of school day into after-school organizations, in which students participated in programs designed to increase overall physical activity.
Shape Up Somerville also partnered with many local restaurants to offer lower-fat and smaller-portioned meals.
Since the study's 2005 conclusion, researchers at the Friedman school have begun to release results, and have found that that the program has made a significant impact on the Somerville population.
According to its Web site, SUS "reduced approximately one pound of weight gain over eight months for an 8-year-old child." Despite the seemingly small decrease, this finding "translate[s] into large numbers of children moving out of the overweight category."
Economos said she considers the results a very successful outcome. "What we saw was a reduction in undesirable weight gain in Somerville compared to the control community," Economos said. The location of the control groups are not being made public at this time, but Economos said that they are two similar communities in the greater Boston area.
Many findings from the official SUS study have not yet been published, and the efforts begun by Shape Up Somerville have not concluded along with the study's formal end in 2005.
"A lot of the efforts were sustained in Somerville by the community, which was great," Economos said. The city of Somerville incorporated SUS into the local government, helping to ensure that the program will continue well into the future.
"The city picked up the initiative," said Nicole Rioles, coordinator of Shape Up Somerville. "[The local government] incorporated the same concepts of challenging the environment to...push towards healthy behaviors, wellness, physical activity, and healthy eating," Rioles said.
Rioles credits Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone for helping to ensure the continuation of the program. "Mayor Curtatone is really a great champion of the movement. He made the connection that healthy behavior really helps people's work and how they feel," Rioles said.
Today, Shape Up Somerville continues in its new form, ensuring that children in the community will benefit from the program for years to come.
