Appendix G1 - State Letter of Invitation

G1. State Letter of Invitation

STATE LETTER OF INVITATION

{DATE}

{SUPERINTENDENT/COMMISSIONER}

{AGENCY NAME}

{AGENCY ADDRESS}

{AGENCY CITY, STATE, ZIP}

Dear {SUPERINTENDENT/COMMISIONER}:

I am writing to inform you that X schools in your state are among the 130 schools randomly selected across the United States to participate in the National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey (NYPANS), a survey of the physical activity and dietary behaviors among students in grades 9 through 12. The NYPANS is sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Your support for the survey would help ensure the voluntary participation of schools in your state. A letter of support from you that we could distribute to the selected schools would be extremely helpful. I have enclosed a list of the counties, schools, and grades selected in your state, and the estimated number of students per school. Data collection will be scheduled for February through April 2010.

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.

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.

The NYPANS is a one-time survey among a random sample of 9^th through 12^th grade students. In each school, one class at each grade is selected randomly to participate. Each student will be asked to complete a survey and will subsequently be measured for height and weight. The 120-item questionnaire will be administered during one normal class period by specially trained field staff. Survey administration procedures are designed to protect student privacy and allow for confidential participation. Counties, cities, school districts, schools, and students will not be identified in any published reports.

Enclosed are a copy of the questionnaire, parental permission form, an NYPANS Fact Sheet, and letters of support from national organizations. Within one week, a representative from Macro International Inc., a nationally recognized survey research firm, will contact you to discuss your support of the survey. If you have any immediate questions, please call Dr. Nancy Brener of my staff at (770) 488-6184. Your support for this survey will help to improve efforts to promote healthy physical activity and dietary habits of youth across the nation.

Sincerely yours,

Howell Wechsler, Ed. D., M.P.H.

Director

Division of Adolescent and School Health

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Enclosures

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