Evaluating the implementation of the SWITCH® school wellness intervention and capacity-building process through multiple methods.

BACKGROUND: School wellness programming is important for promoting healthy lifestyles and academic achievement in youth; however, research is needed on methods that can help schools implement and sustain such programs on their own. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors within and outside the school environment that influenced school capacity for implementation and potential sustainability of wellness programming. METHODS: As part of the School Wellness Integration Targeting Child Health (SWITCH®) intervention, elementary school wellness teams (N = 30) were guided through a capacity-building process focused on promoting the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors in students. Data on implementation were collected through three standardized surveys and interviews (pre-mid-post) and a post-implementation interview. Indicators of organizational capacity were assessed using the School Wellness Readiness Assessment (SWRA). Paired t-tests were run to assess changes in implementation (classroom, physical education, and lunchroom settings), capacity, and stakeholder engagement over time. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests were run to examine how implementation of best practices (low, moderate, high) explained differences in capacity gains. Qualitative data were analyzed through inductive and deductive analysis, following the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). RESULTS: Paired t-tests showed non-significant increases in school and setting-specific capacity and implementation of SWITCH best practices over time, in addition to a consistent level of engagement from key stakeholders. ANOVA results revealed non-significant associations between implementation group and gains in school capacity (F [2, 24] = 1.63; p = .21), class capacity (F [2, 24]=0.20 p = .82), lunchroom capacity (F [2, 24]=0.29; p = .78), and physical education (F [2, 24]=1.45; p = .25). Qualitative data demonstrated that factors within the outer setting (i.e., engaging community partners) facilitated programming. Inner-setting factors (i.e., relationships with administration and staff) influenced implementation. Implementation process themes (e.g., planning, adaptation of resources to meet school capacity/needs, and engaging students as leaders) were cited as key facilitators. Schools discussed factors affecting sustainability, such as school culture and knowledge of school wellness policy. CONCLUSIONS: The results from this implementation study document the importance of allowing schools to adapt programming to meet their local needs, and highlight the strengths of measuring multiple implementation outcomes. Increased support is needed for schools regarding the formation and improvement of wellness policies as a means to enhance sustainability over time.

Regular Consumption of a High-Phytate Diet Reduces the Inhibitory Effect of Phytate on Nonheme-Iron Absorption in Women with Suboptimal Iron Stores.

BACKGROUND: High phytate (HP) consumption is a concern in developing countries because of the high prevalence of iron deficiency in these countries. OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether habitual consumption of an HP diet reduces the inhibitory effect of phytate on nonheme-iron absorption. METHODS: Thirty-two nonanemic females, 18-35 y of age, with normal body mass index but with suboptimal iron stores (serum ferritin, ≤30 µg/L), were matched for serum ferritin concentration and randomly assigned to HP and low-phytate (LP) groups, in a parallel design study. Each subject consumed HP or LP foods with at least 2 of their daily meals for 8 wk, resulting in a change in phytate intake (from 718 to 1190 mg/d in the HP group and 623 to 385 mg/d in the LP group). The serum iron response over 4 h after a test meal containing 350 mg of phytate was measured at baseline and postintervention. Ferritin, transferrin receptor, and hepcidin concentrations were measured at baseline and 8 wk. RESULTS: Twenty-eight subjects completed the study (n = 14 per group). The serum iron response to the test meal increased in the HP group at postintervention, resulting in a 41% increase in the area under the curve (AUC; P < 0.0001). However, no effect was observed in the LP group (21% decrease in AUC; P = 0.76). The postintervention serum iron response was lower (P < 0.0001) in the LP group than in the HP group after controlling for the baseline serum iron response and hepcidin concentration, reflecting in a 64% lower AUC. CONCLUSIONS: We found that habitual consumption of an HP diet can reduce the negative effect of phytate on nonheme-iron absorption among young women with suboptimal iron stores. Future studies are needed to explore possible mechanisms. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02370940.

A Systematic Review and Qualitative Synthesis Resulting in a Typology of Elementary Classroom Movement Integration Interventions.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Movement integration (MI) involves infusing physical activity into normal classroom time. A wide range of MI interventions have succeeded in increasing children's participation in physical activity. However, no previous research has attempted to unpack the various MI intervention approaches. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically review, qualitatively analyze, and develop a typology of MI interventions conducted in primary/elementary school settings. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed to identify published MI interventions. Irrelevant records were removed first by title, then by abstract, and finally by full texts of articles, resulting in 72 studies being retained for qualitative analysis. A deductive approach, using previous MI research as an a priori analytic framework, alongside inductive techniques were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Four types of MI interventions were identified and labeled based on their design: student-driven, teacher-driven, researcher-teacher collaboration, and researcher-driven. Each type was further refined based on the MI strategies (movement breaks, active lessons, other: opening activity, transitions, reward, awareness), the level of intrapersonal and institutional support (training, resources), and the delivery (dose, intensity, type, fidelity). Nearly half of the interventions were researcher-driven, which may undermine the sustainability of MI as a routine practice by teachers in schools. An imbalance is evident on the MI strategies, with transitions, opening and awareness activities, and rewards being limitedly studied. Delivery should be further examined with a strong focus on reporting fidelity. CONCLUSIONS: There are distinct approaches that are most often employed to promote the use of MI and these approaches may often lack a minimum standard for reporting MI intervention details. This typology may be useful to effectively translate the evidence into practice in real-life settings to better understand and study MI interventions.