Resources
Our Research
Project Healthy Schools includes a research component designed to study the program’s effects on lifestyle, markers of cardiovascular risk, and obesity. Data from behavioral questionnaires and health screenings show important improvements in middle school students’ self-reported health behaviors and physiologic measures. Key findings include:
Results to Date
Over 13,000 sixth graders from 20 schools in Michigan have participated in the program. Of these students over 2,300 have been part of our research. Research results demonstrate that this program has improved the health of the students it has reached.
- Students indicate by standardized questionnaire that they are changing their behaviors in a favorable way.
- Physiologic screenings show improvements in measures such as serum cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglyceride levels, blood sugar, and measures of fitness.
- Low/middle income communities’ children are at higher risk based on obesity rates and physiologic measures, but appear to get even more benefit from the program.
- Among all schools, children at highest risk based on risk factors such as blood pressure and cholesterol seem to get the most benefit.
- Benefits appear to be sustained, not just after the five month intervention, but also at the end of years one, two and three post-PHS.
The first graph below illustrates the long term effectiveness of the program as measured in a group of over 550 students in Ann Arbor for 3 years following the intervention.
This graph compares the baseline and follow-up measurements from PHS for students from Ann Arbor, an affluent community, with those from Ypsilanti students, a more diverse, lower socioeconomic community. The Ypsilanti students made greater physiological improvements from baseline than the Ann Arbor students.
Please contact us if you would like more information.
Presentations and Abstracts
Flynn S, Gurm R, DuRussel-Weston JE, Aaronson SM, Gakenheimer L, Smolarski J, Simhaee D, Corriveau N, Fitzgerald CM, Eagle T, Rao R, Eagle KA, Goldberg CS, Jackson EA. Decreased High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in a Cohort of 6th-grade Children: Association with Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Lifestyle Behaviors. Accepted for poster presentation at American Academy of Cardiology in April 2011.
Simhaee D, Gurm R, Jackson EA, Aaronson SM, DuRussel-Weston JE, Fitzgerald CM, Flynn S, Geiger Z, Corriveau N, Winfield J, Goldberg CS, Eagle KA. Heart Rate Recovery: An Indicator of Fitness Among Middle School Children. Accepted for poster presentation at American Academy of Cardiology in April 2011.
DuRussel-Weston JE, Aaronson S, Fitzgerald C, Gakenheimer L, Palma-Davis LV, Eagle KA, Goldberg CS. Partnering to Serve Underserved Youth. Presented American Public Health Association, November 2010. (Poster)
Aaronson S, Goldberg CS, Jackson EA, Kline-Rogers E, Rogers B, DuRussel-Weston JE, Palma-Davis LV, Zimmerman M, Gurm R, Fitzgerald C, Mitchell LR, Eagle KA. Empowering Youth: A Project Healthy Schools and Life in Action Collaboration Presented American Public Health Association, November 2010. (Poster)
Aaronson S, Mitchell LR, Fitzgerald C, DuRussel-Weston JE, Eagle KA. Coordinated School Health Teams and Project Healthy Schools Create Physical Activity Opportunities During the School Day. Presented American Public Health Association, November 2010. (Poster)
DuRussel-Weston JE, Goldberg CS, Jackson EA, Rogers B, Palma-Davis LV, Gurm R, Fitzgerald C, Mitchell LR, Eagle KA. Project Healthy Schools: A Community's Response to the Youth Obesity Crisis Presented Obesity 2010, 28th Annual Scientific Meeting of The Obesity Society, October, 2010. (Poster)
Eagle T, Gurm R, Goldberg CS, DuRussel-Weston J, Kline-Rogers E, Palma-Davis LV, Aaronson S, Fitzgerald CM, Mitchell LR, Rogers B, Bruenger P, Jackson EA, and Eagle KA. Health Status and Behavior Among Middle School Children in a Midwest Community: What Are the Underpinnings of Childhood Obesity? American Heart Journal 2010;160:1185-1189.
Jackson EA, Eagle T, Leidal A, Gurm R, Smolarski J, Goldberg C, Rogers B, Eagle KA. Childhood obesity: A Comparison of Health Habits of Middle-School Students from Two Communities. Clinical Epidemiology 2009:1 133-139.
Cotts TB, Goldberg CS, Palma Davis LV, DuRussel-Weston JE, Aaronson SM, Lin K, Eagle KA. A School-Based Health Education Program Can Improve Cholesterol Values For Middle School Students. Pediatric Cardiology 2008;29:940-45.
Cotts TB, DuRussel-Weston JE, Goldberg CS, Palma-Davis LV, Aaronson SM, Eagle KA. Project Healthy Schools: A School Based Health Education Program to Prevent Childhood Obesity. Agro FOOD Industry High-Tech Journal September/October 2007 Anno 18 No 5.