The California Endowment’s Healthy Eating, Active Communities (HEAC)

http://www.partnershipph.org/projects/heac/

Initiative Description: The California Endowment’s Healthy Eating, Active Communities (HEAC) program, which works in 6 low-income California communities to prevent childhood obesity conducts interventions in 5 key childhood environments: schools, after-school programs, neighborhoods, health care, and marketing and advertising.

Study Results: Implemented state nutrition standards (all sites). Children’s environments changed to promote healthier lifestyles across a wide range of domains in all 5 key childhood environments for all 6 HEAC communities. Children in HEAC communities are also engaging in more healthy behaviors than they were before the program’s implementation.

Reference: Samuels, S. E., Craypo, L., Boyle, M., Crawford, P. B., Yancey, A., & Flores, G. (2010). The California endowment’s healthy eating, active communities program: a midpoint review. American Journal of Public Health, 100(11), 2114-2123

Level of Evidence: Good