• Increasing healthy eating and physical activity opportunities in schools is a best practice for preventing obesity by exposing children to healthy lifestyle behaviors at an early age. In 2017, 13.9% of kindergarten and 19.9% of third grade students in New Mexico were obese; obese children are more likely to become obese adults with increased risk of chronic health conditions.
• There are no national or statewide measures that are directly comparable to this one. However, there are several related measures within the national Healthy People 2020 initiative. 
• The NMDOH Obesity, Nutrition, and Physical Activity Program (ONAPA) works closely with local coordinators in Healthy Kids Healthy Communities (HKHC) to engage partners and build school system support for establishing strong wellness policies and implementing sustainable healthy eating initiatives coupled with nutrition education.
• During FY18-Q1, ONAPA supported HKHC coordinators in applying for the US Department of Agriculture Healthier US Schools Challenge award in 31 elementary schools in seven school districts.
• The plan for the next quarter is to recognize and promote schools receiving the Healthier US Schools Challenge awards through presentations, newsletters, and the media. Additionally, our program will continue to work with local coalitions to implement healthy eating and physical activity strategies in HKHC counties and tribal communities.
   

• New Mexico Public Education Department
• New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department
• New Mexico Human Services Department
• New Mexico Department of Transportation
• NMDOH Women, Infants, and Children Program
• New Mexico State University
• University of New Mexico
• NMDOH health promotion
• Schools
• Planning organizations
• Parks and Recreation
• Local/Tribal governments
• Healthy Kids Healthy Communities (Chaves, Cibola, Colfax, Curry, Dona Ana, Grant, Guadalupe, Hidalgo, Roosevelt, San Juan, Socorro counties; pueblos of San Ildefonso, Zuni, Ohkay Owingeh)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Best and Promising Practices for Obesity Prevention:

• Improve nutrition quality of foods and beverages served or available in schools consistent with the Institute of Medicine’s Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools (including increased access to fruit, vegetables, and plain drinking water).
• Improve the quality and amount of physical education and activity in schools (including increased physical activity opportunities throughout the school day such as daily recess, mileage clubs, and walk and roll to school programs).
   

• Establish/expand the 5.2.1.O Challenge in elementary schools.
• Establish/expand healthy eating opportunities (fruit and vegetable tastings, salad bars, healthy snacks, edible school gardens). 
• Apply for recognition of healthy eating and physical activity best practices in schools through the US Department of Agriculture Healthier US Schools Challenge.
• Establish/expand physical activity opportunities before, during, and after school (schoolyards for open community use, walk and roll to school programs, mileage clubs).
   

Q1: 

• Support 31 schools to apply for with Healthier US Schools Challenge award. Met.

Q2:  

• 31 schools receive Healthier US Schools Challenge awards.
• 17 executed federal FY contracts with October start dates (no programmatic control over contract approval process but work is predicated on contractors).

Q3:

• 55 HKHC elementary schools implementing the 5.2.1.O Challenge.

Q4:

• 65 public elementary schools recruited for statewide childhood obesity surveillance.
• Seven nursing programs assisting with statewide childhood obesity surveillance.

• The majority of public elementary school children in Healthy Kids Healthy Communities had access to at least one healthy eating opportunity in the 2017-2018 school year. This was accomplished by providing technical assistance and training to Healthy Kids Healthy Communities coordinators, through district wellness policy trainings, and quarterly trainings for Healthy Kids Healthy Communities coordinators and statewide partners.
• In the fall of 2017, the Obesity, Nutrition, and Physical Activity Program and its partners completed statewide childhood obesity surveillance by measuring 8,065 students in 62 randomly selected public elementary schools and, in March 2018, published its New Mexico Childhood Obesity 2017 Update. The Obesity, Nutrition, and Physical Activity Program and its partners also built support for measuring an additional 2,911 students in 31 Healthy Kids Healthy Communities schools so these communities would have more comprehensive childhood obesity surveillance data.
• Unmet milestones involving contracts were impacted by administrative processes. Healthy Kids Healthy Communities milestones were met due to contractor successes in working with schools and community partners to increase opportunities for healthy eating. Working in communities and with partners for several years strengthens relationships and makes our strategies and efforts more effective.