The Impact of Healthy Harlem on Student Fitness Outcomes after Two and Three Years
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The Impact of Healthy Harlem on Student Fitness Outcomes after Two and Three Years

Published: Mar 15, 2018
Publisher: Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research
Human Services Education Family Support Youth Development Nutrition Childhood Obesity Data Analytics Research and Evaluation Surveys and Data Collection Policy Analysis
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Associated Project

Evaluation of the Harlem Children's Zone Healthy Harlem Initiative

Time frame: 2012-2018

Prepared for:

The JPB Foundation

Authors

Martha Bleeker

James Mabli

Mary Kay Fox

Betina Jean-Louis

Marlene Fox

Key Findings

Key Findings:

  • Students who were overweight or obese and participated in Get Fit and Prevention had large and statistically significant increases in PACER laps two and three years later.
  • The percentage of students in the targeted Harlem Fitness Zone (HFZ) after two and three years of participation was significantly greater than at baseline.
  • The increased percentage of students in the HFZ was generally larger for boys than girls.
For overweight and obese middle and high school students enrolled in Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ) after-school programs, participation in Healthy Harlem led to sustained positive impacts on physical fitness, according to interim findings from Mathematica. To assess Healthy Harlem’s effectiveness, researchers monitored students during an initial baseline year and then measured program impacts after two and three years of participation. As described in this issue brief, the findings reveal that participation in Healthy Harlem’s Get Fit and Prevention components increased levels of physical fitness.

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