Implementation of nutrition and physical activity-related policies and practices on college campuses participating in the Healthier Campus initiative

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate implementation of nutrition/physical activity-related policies/practices at colleges participating in a healthy campus initiative and campus health leaders’ perceptions of policies/practices’ support for student health and ease of/barriers to implementation. Participants: Health leaders at colleges participating in the Healthier Campus Initiative (HCI), with completed or ongoing three-year HCI commitments. Methods: Surveys asked which of 41 guidelines were implemented and perceptions around support for student health and ease of/barriers to implementation. Qualitative interviews explored similar domains. Results: Campuses with completed HCI commitments (n = 17) averaged 27.6 guidelines implemented, versus 21.1 on campuses with commitments ongoing (n = 13; p = 0.003). Perceived support for student health and implementation ease varied by guideline. Common implementation barriers included financial costs and time. Interviews largely reinforced these findings. Conclusions: Completion of a campus environmental change initiative may be associated with more health-supporting practices. Campuses may benefit from implementing coordinated policy/practice changes supporting healthy eating and physical activity.

Keywords:

• College health
• environments
• nutrition
• physical activity
• weight

Acknowledgments

We wish to express our appreciation for the participation of campus health leaders in both the survey and qualitative interviews for this research effort.

Conflict of interest disclosure

CS is an employee of the Partnership for a Healthier America. The other authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

We wish to thank the Partnership for a Healthier America for providing funding for this study.