Appendix I2 - School Fact Sheet

I2. School Fact Sheet

SCHOOL FACT SHEET

2010 NATIONAL YOUTH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND NUTRITION SURVEY (NYPANS)

The Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH), National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is conducting a survey to measure the physical activity and dietary habits among students in grades 9 through 12. This fact sheet answers important questions about the NYPANS.

Q. What is the focus of the NYPANS?

A. The NYPANS focuses on physical activity and dietary behaviors that are often established during adolescence and that contribute to the leading causes of death and disability among youth and adults in the United States.

Q. Why is the NYPANS being conducted?

A. CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health is responsible for identifying and monitoring factors that may affect the health of our Nation’s youth. The study is driven by nationwide concerns about the obesity epidemic among Americans, and especially among America’s youth. The survey will help us understand what key physical activity and nutrition behaviors might be contributing to adolescent obesity and putting students at greater risk for ill health into adulthood. The study will also look at the associations between student body mass index and a variety of behaviors. Study results will have significant implications for policy and program development for obesity prevention and physical activity programs nationwide.

Q. Does the survey have broad national support?

A. Yes. The following organizations support the national YRBS, under the auspices of which this project is being conducted. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Association for Health Education, the American Association of School Administrators, the American Cancer Society, the American Medical Association, the Association of State and Territorial Chronic Disease Directors, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, the Council of Chief State School Officers, the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors, the National Association of State Boards of Education, the National Education Association, the National PTA, the National School Boards Association, and the Society of State Directors of Health, Physical Education and Recreation support the NYPANS.

Q. Are sensitive questions asked?

A. In general, questions about physical activity and dietary habits are considered minimally sensitive. However, some students may experience some discomfort when being measured for height and weight. To alleviate potential concerns, students will be measured in a private area.

Q. Is student participation confidential? How is student privacy protected?

A. The survey has been designed to protect students’ privacy. Students will be asked to write their name on a detachable form within the survey booklet, which will then be removed and collected by specially trained field staff before they answer any questions. It will later be used to record height and weight. When students finish the paper-and-pencil survey, they place the survey in an envelope and seal it shut. The envelopes are then placed in a big box.

Q. Are students tracked over time to see how their behavior changes?

A. No. Students will not be asked to participate in the survey more than once.

Q. What if school districts, schools, or students do not choose to participate?

A. Participation in the NYPANS is voluntary. However, to develop accurate national estimates of physical activity and dietary habits among adolescents, participation rates must be high. Selected schools and students cannot be replaced. The goal is to achieve 90 to 95 percent participation by selected schools and students.

Q. What grades are included?

A. The NYPANS is administered to students in grades 9 through 12. This includes students from public, Catholic, and private schools with grades K-12, 7-12, 10-12, and 9-12.

Q. What is the sample size?

A. Nationwide, approximately 8,000 students from about 130 schools have been selected to participate.

Q. What are the components of the NYPANS?

A. The NYPANS includes a self-administered questionnaire that students complete in their classrooms during the school day and measurement of students’ height and weight that takes place in a private location during the school day. Some schools also will be selected to have students from one class participate in up to three telephone interviews that will take place outside of school.

Q. How many students are involved from each school?

A. One class (approximately 25) in each grade 9 through 12 is selected randomly to participate in each school. Approximately 100 students are asked to participate in a school containing grades 9, 10, 11 and 12. In a junior high school with grades 7 through 9, approximately 25 ninth graders are asked to participate.

Q. How are schools selected?

A. A stratified, random sample of schools is selected. The probability of a school being selected is based on enrollment in grades 9 through 12. Some schools may also be asked to volunteer to have their students participate in telephone interviews that will take place outside of school.

Q. How is the NYPANS coordinated at each school?

A. It is preferable to have a single spokesperson in each school. This can be the principal, another administrator, a teacher, or someone else designated by the principal. The spokesperson provides a list of class sections, distributes parental permission forms to teachers of the sampled classes, helps to promote the survey in the school, and ensures a high participation rate.

Q. What is done to maximize student participation?

A. CDC provides information to school administrators explaining the importance of the NYPANS that can be shared with teachers, parents, and students. It is helpful if the school’s spokesperson for the NYPANS is familiar with the survey and is willing to seek support from teachers, parents, and students. The school spokesperson may work through the school’s PTA to gain support for the survey. Many schools also notify parents of the survey in the school newsletter.

Q. How long does it take to fill out the questionnaire? Is there some sort of physical test?

A. One class period is needed for administration of the self-administered questionnaire. It takes approximately 10 minutes for the survey administrator to distribute survey materials and read directions to the students. It then takes approximately 35 minutes for students to record their responses. The questionnaire contains 120 multiple choice questions. Students will also be measured for height and weight in a private location.

Q. Do all schools participate in the in-school survey and the out-of-school telephone interviews?

A. No. Schools that participate in the survey will be asked to allow one class to participate in the out-of-school phone interview portion of the study. However, schools may have their students do the survey but not have them do the out-of-school phone interviews.

Q. What do the telephone interviews involve?

A. If your school agrees, students in the class randomly selected to participate in the telephone interviews will complete up to three interviews during non-school hours. Students will be asked about all the foods and beverages they consumed the day before the interview. They will be asked the portion size of what they ate and drank and the time of day that they ate and drank each item. Because eating habit are usually different on the weekend from on the week days, students will be asked to do two interviews for week days and one interview for a weekend day. Each interview takes 20-30 minutes to complete, and students will receive $10 for each interview, and an additional $10 if they complete all three interviews.

Q. Do students answer questions truthfully?

A. Research indicates data of this nature may be gathered as reliably from adolescents as from adults. Internal reliability checks help identify the small percentage of students who falsify their answers. To obtain truthful answers, students must perceive the survey as important and know procedures have been developed to protect their privacy and allow for confidential participation.

Q. When is the survey conducted? When are results available?

A. Data collection occurs between February and April. Results are published the following year. All participating SEAs, LEAs, and schools receive a copy of the results.

Q. What do the schools receive for participating in the 2010 NYPANS?

A. As a symbol of appreciation for contributing their time and support and for being a significant partner in the 2010 NYPANS effort, the CDC will provide each participating school with a $200 monetary school award. One option is to use these funds for physical activity and nutrition curricula and educational materials. However, no restrictions will be placed on how schools can use these funds. Schools also will receive a copy of the published report on survey results and a variety of educational materials related to the health of young people.

Q. Who is the survey contractor?

A. Macro International Inc., a nationally recognized survey research company in Calverton, Maryland, has received a contract from CDC to work with states, school districts, and schools to help obtain clearance, select a sample of students, schedule data collection, distribute survey materials, and collect student data.

Q. Where can additional information be obtained?

A. To obtain additional information about the NYPANS, contact Dr. Nancy Brener, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health, 4770 Buford Hwy., NE, Atlanta, GA 30341-3724; telephone 770-488-6184 or email at [email protected].