Targeting childhood obesity in schools: an examination of the stability and utility of the Value Added Index
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Date
2013-04-11
Authors
Moreno-Black, Geraldine
Stockard, Jean
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Wiley
Abstract
Background: High rates of childhood obesity and overweight have promoted interest in school-based
interventions. As a way to identify schools with high unexpected prevalence of obesity and the greatest need,
Procter and associates developed a ‘Value Added Index’ (VAI). It compares rates of obesity in entry level and
advanced students in elementary schools, quantifying the extent to which rates for advanced students are
higher than what would be expected given entry level rates and socio-demographic characteristics. Methods: This paper replicates their analysis using data over a 4 year time span from 17 schools in the
western United States. Our analysis compared results obtained with the relatively complicated mixed-model
approach, which was used by Procter and associates, and a more simple linear regression, which could be
easily used by local school officials. Results were also compared across the 4 years for which data were
available. Results: Identical results were found when the two methods were compared. There was little stability in the
rank ordering of schools, based on the VAI, from 1 year to another. Conclusions: Our results cast doubts on the utility of the VAI for policy makers and suggest policy makers
consider a universalistic, rather than targeted, approach to interventions.
Description
12 pages
Keywords
BMI Screening, Childhood Obesity, School Policy, Value Added Modelling