Policy and Environmental Supports for Nutrition and Physical Activity on College Campuses
College-aged students are at considerable obesity risk due in part to poor diets, low-levels of physical activity (PA), and other negative health behaviors inherent to the college environment. The transition from high school to college has been identified as a critical period of weight gain and decline in healthy behaviors. To date, there has been little focus on the college environment for obesity prevention strategies, and almost no focus on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) campuses. The proposed project will assess environmental and policy supports for healthy eating and PA at an HBCU. We will assess a Predominantly White Institution (PWI) in the same city for comparison and to identify disparities. A mixed methods approach will be used to collect quantitative and qualitative data on the environment and student/faculty/staff knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and preferences associated with health status and health-related behaviors. Data will be used to further understand/identify strategies to improve health among college students, particularly racial/ethnic minority students who are at higher risk for developing chronic disease, and to improve supports for healthy eating and physical activity on college campuses.
This project is a partnership between Gramercy Research Group, Winston-Salem State University, and Wake Forest University.
Funded by the Morehouse School of Medicine Transdisciplinary Collaborative Center
Want to be part of this study? We are currently looking for students, faculty, and staff to participate in focus groups.
The purpose of this study is to understand personal and environmental factors on and around your campus that could impact your health-related behaviors. The focus groups will ask your opinions about healthy eating, physical activity, and how your campus does (or does not) support healthy eating and physical activity.
Focus groups for students and faculty/staff will take place separately at various times. Participants will be compensated for their time.
Participation in the survey and focus group will take approximately 90 minutes of your time.
This project has ended. We are no longer recruiting for this project.