Objective
Determine the extent to which readiness factors are associated with adoption and implementation of nutrition and physical activity policy.
Study Design and Setting
The cross-sectional study was conducted in Oklahoma where 50 funded community grantees address obesity related health outcomes through policy, system and environmental interventions in organizations representing a variety of community sectors (i.e., schools, businesses, community organizations and city/government). Grantees were trained to conduct assessments by the external program evaluators and technical assistance providers. Assessments were conducted in 229 organizations.
Outcomes Measures and Analysis
The comprehensiveness and strength of adopted policies and implementation practices were scored using a tool modeled after the CDC’s CHANGE and Rudd Center's WellSAT tools. Group readiness to address nutrition and physical activity environments was scored using Colorado State Tri-Ethnic Center's Community Readiness Model. Correlation analyses identified associations between group readiness, adopted policy language and policy implementation. Multiple regression analyses were performed to predict policy implementation for each health topic. Each multiple regression model used policy adoption scores and total readiness score specific to each health topic as predictors of implementation.
Results
Correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations between readiness and policy implementation. All multiple regression models were significant (P<.01). Policy adoption and total readiness were significant predictors (P<.05) of policy implementation in each model. The amount of variance explained per model ranged from 10.2%-32.5%.
Conclusions and Implications
Results suggest policy and group readiness are key, independent factors that positively predict greater successes in nutrition and physical activity policy implementation among a variety of organizations. Organizations that aim to address nutrition and physical activity behaviors of people within the organization should adopt policy and utilize readiness-matched intervention strategies.
Funding
None
Article info
Publication history
P209
Identification
Copyright
© 2017 Published by Elsevier Inc.
