LA Health

Funding provided by National Institutes of Health and U.S. Department of Agriculture

July 2004 – July 2008

This three-year study was a partnership with LA GEAR UP (an ongoing U.S. Department of Education project) to test the efficacy of two school-based prevention programs that were designed to prevent weight gain and/or promote weight loss in children and adolescents. The approach featured an interactive website utilized in the classroom, along with environmental modifications of the school setting.

Related Publications:

Williamson DA, Champagne CM, Harsha D, Han H, Martin CK, Newton R, Stewart TM, & Ryan DH. (2008). Louisiana (LA) Health: Design and methods for a childhood obesity prevention program in rural schools.  Contemporary Clinical Trials 29(5), 783-795. PubMed 

Williamson, D. A., Champagne, C. M., Han, H., Harsha, D., Martin, C. K., Newton, R. L., Ryan, D. H., Sothern, M. S., Stewart, T. M., & Webber, L.S. (2009).  Increased obesity in children living in rural communities of Louisiana. International Journal of Pediatric Obesity 4, 160-165. PubMed

Gabriele, J. M., Stewart, T. M., Sample, A., Davis, A. B., Allen, R., Martin, C. K., Newton, R. L., Jr., & Williamson, D. A. (2010).  Development of an Internet-based obesity prevention program for children.  Journal of Diabetes Science & Technology 4(3), 723-732. PubMed

Martin, C. K., Thomson, J. L., LeBlanc, M. M., Stewart, T. M., Newton, R. L., Han, H., Sample, A., Champagne, C. M., & Williamson, D. A. (2010).  Children in school cafeterias select foods containing more saturated fat and energy than the Institute of Medicine recommendations.  The Journal of Nutrition 140, 1653-1660. PubMed

Newton, R. L., Martin, C. K., Williamson, D. A., Sothern, M., Han, H., & Webber, L. S. (2011). Accelerometry measured ethnic differences in activity in rural adolescents. Journal of Physical Activity & Health 8(2), 287-295.

Williamson DA, Han H, Johnson WD, Stewart, TM, & Harsha D. (2011). Longitudinal study of body weight changes in children: Who is gaining and who is losing weight. Obesity 19(3), 667-670. PubMed

Newton, R. L., Jr., Thomson, J. L., Rau, K., Duhe’, S., Sample, A., Singleton, N., Anton, S. D., Webber, L. S., & Williamson, D. A. (in press).  Development of process evaluation measures for a school-based childhood obesity prevention study: Louisiana Health. American Journal of Health Promotion.

For more information on purchasing the LA Health interventon materials, contact BehaviorTools@pbrc.edu.