Effect of an after-school intervention on increases in children's physical activity.

Purpose: Evaluate the effect of an after-school intervention on physical activity program changes and individual behaviors among children.

Methods: A quasi-experimental evaluation of a YMCA-driven environmental change intervention with 16 intervention and 16 control sites in four metropolitan areas in the United States. Intervention sites participated in learning collaboratives designed to promote physical activity and nutrition through environmental change, educational activities, and parent engagement.

Disseminating health promotion practices in after-school programs through YMCA learning collaboratives.

Purpose: We describe the perceived usefulness of a learning collaborative for translating obesity prevention science into practice at YMCA after-school programs.

Approach: We conducted mixed-methods research to identify beneficial aspects of the collaborative and to assess perceived effect of the collaborative on ability to meet goals.

Setting: Sixty-one YMCA after-school programs serving roughly 2500 children in 21 states.

Impact of an organizational intervention designed to improve snack and beverage quality in YMCA after-school programs.

Objectives: We evaluated the quality of snacks and beverages served at YMCA after-school programs before and after the programs' participation in a YMCA Learning Collaborative.

Methods: We collected data on the types and brands of snacks and beverages (including fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, foods with trans fats, water, and sugar-sweetened beverages) served daily during 3 different time periods spanning 14 months in total, and the components of the healthy eating standards. We compared snack and beverage quality before and after the intervention.