Date of Publication

2020

Project Team

Jennifer Laurent, PhD, APRN, Emelia Wollenburg, MPH, and Denise Smith, MS

Abstract

Background. Obesity is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the US. Rise VT is a multilevel community-based initiative to reduce obesity. The Community Programs and Policies Intensity Score (CPPI) is a standardized metric to evaluate multisector efforts over time, which has correlated with reductions in childhood obesity.

Purpose. The purpose of this project was to quantify the impact of Rise VT using the CPPI score. A secondary aim was to assess the feasibility of using the CPPI score for ongoing program planning and evaluation statewide.

Methods. Interviews with program managers were conducted to gather data related to program interventions to yield a CPPI score in Franklin and Grand Isle (FGI) counties, Vermont. An educational session on the CPPI score for program managers and a post-presentation survey was administered to evaluate feasibility.

Results. Program managers in FGI implemented 39 interventions using 22 CDC obesity prevention strategies over a period of 6 months, resulting in an average standardized CPPI score of 0.82 [0 (low intensity) to 1 (high intensity)]. Post-presentation survey results demonstrated that statewide program managers (n=13) found CPPI measurement useful.

Conclusions. The mean standardized CPPI score (0.82) in FGI was much greater than previously reported national averages, suggesting that the majority of obesity prevention efforts in these communities have strong influence, which may lead to a future decrease in childhood obesity. The CPPI score appears to be a feasible strategy to evaluate Rise VT programmatic efforts statewide.

Document Type

Project

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