Wisconsin Partnership for Childhood Fitness

National and Wisconsin-specific research indicates higher rates of obesity and lower levels of physical activity (PA) exist among children and adolescents of low socioeconomic status (SES) and certain racial and ethnic groups, compared to their peers. Low PA levels are closely linked to obesity, which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases. A serious effort to improve the health of Wisconsin’s children must focus on, achieve, and document increased PA and improved fitness. The Wisconsin Partnership for Childhood Fitness (WPCF) project will focus on the unique challenges and needs faced by Wisconsin schools with high populations of low SES and racial minority students.

Project Goal

The WPCF goal is to increase the level of fitness among low SES and racial minority youth. The project’s guiding principle is that promoting childhood fitness has inherent health benefits for child health, and is the most effective treatment, and prevention strategy for childhood obesity.

Major Activities

1. Institutionalize evidence-based and promising PA strategies and policies suitable for schools, particularly with high populations of low SES and racial minority students.
2. Provide professional development and technical assistance to schools on the proper administration and use of evidence-based student fitness testing.
3. Collect and analyze fitness assessment data and provide useful reports to participating schools.
4. Collaborate with state partners to advance state policies to support physically active and student cardiovascular fitness testing. Provide technical assistance, consultation, and resources to schools and local partners on policy development and implementation.
5. Conduct laboratory assessments on a diverse population of middle school youth in conjunction with school-based assessments to further refine and improve school-based fitness testing to predict obesity-related health problems, (UW Pediatrics’ research project)

Funding for this project was provided by the UW School of Medicine and Public Health from the Wisconsin Partnership program.