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"Every Step Counts"
Combating Childhood Obesity at Dorchesters
Codman
Academy
Charter
School
The Lown Cardiovascular Research Foundation and the Codman Academy Charter School of Dorchester have partnered to create Every Step Counts (ESC), a program designed to combat obesity among the Academys predominantly African-American and Hispanic population. The program distinguishes itself from other public school nutrition and fitness education initiatives by educating students about the cultural and social forces that influence their eating and exercise and empowering them to take control of their health and fitness by making healthier choices.
Students learn to examine how they think about and relate to food and to effect change in their environment by educating peers and families, working to improve school lunch menus, and lobbying politicians for better school nutrition and fitness policies. ESC addresses contravening environmental forces and the ethnic and racial disparities that increase students risk of obesity. It is culturally sensitive to community resources, the cost of healthy food, barriers to grocery shopping, eating pressures on teens, and gender roles within families.
Now in its fourth year, ESC is firmly established as part of the core curriculum at CACS and the partners are preparing to launch a scientific study to document and evaluate its impact on students knowledge, attitudes, and behavior relating to eating and exercise. The resulting documentation will facilitate widespread replication of the program in other schools in Boston and beyond.
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