Physical Activity Program for American Indian Children in Oklahoma

University of Oklahoma: Prevention Research Center

Topics:
Nutrition & Physical Activity for Youth | School Health

Researchers and their community partners developed the Healthy Indian Kids Exercise Study for students aged 5 to 20 years who attend the Anadarko public school system and the Riverside Indian School. The program helps students make physical activity part of every day by allowing students to walk, jog, or run about three miles during school hours. In addition to physical activity, researchers measure the students’ blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol levels, weight, and body mass before and after participation in the study. Preliminary results showed that students in the exercise program made significant improvements in all these measures. The results have been shared with the scientific community at an annual conference, and locally with the lay community.

 

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