OSNAP Training Materials

Harvard Prevention Research Center on Nutrition & Physical Activity

Young boy eating a green apple

A Prevention Research Center Tool Showing Evidence of Effectiveness

OVERVIEW

The Out of School Nutrition and Physical Activity Initiative (OSNAP) aims to improve wellness practices and policies in after-school and similar programs. The Harvard School of Public Health PRC developed this tool with input from after-school providers and tested it in programs for children aged 5–12 years. OSNAP seeks to fulfill the following goals:

  • Improve nutrition.
  • Increase physical activity time and quality.
  • Limit recreational digital screen time.

The OSNAP guide outlines the program standards and provides a change model including the following seven steps for staff:

  • Analyze current after-school policies and practices.
  • Learn through collaborative meetings.
  • Identify goals for improvement.
  • Implement action steps.
  • Communicate well with stakeholders.
  • Track progress.
  • Re-evaluate and celebrate improvements.

The guide includes links to assessment and action planning forms, documents for setting up a learning collaborative, a policy writing guide, nutrition and physical activities information, and staffing resources. An associated train-the-trainer presentation prepares leaders of OSNAP learning communities.

RESEARCH RESULTS

Under the OSNAP program, children drank more water,1 and their exercise time was more vigorous.2 The guide has helped staff write health-promoting policy statements about nutrition, physical activity, and screen time in 20 after-school programs.3

TOOL LOCATION

http://osnap.org/resources/osnap-materials/external icon
Download the printable PDF version pdf icon[PDF – 744 KB] of this web page.

References
  1. Lee RM, Okechukwu C, Emmons KM, Gortmaker SL. Impact of implementation factors on children’s water consumption in the Out-of-School Nutrition and Physical Activity group-randomized trial. New Dir Youth Dev. 2014;143:79–101.
  2. Cradock AL, Barrett JL, Giles CM, et al. Promoting physical activity with the Out of School Nutrition and Physical Activity (OSNAP) initiative: a cluster-randomized controlled trial. JAMA Pediatr. 2015;1–9.
  3. Kenney EL, Giles CM, deBlois ME, et al. Improving nutrition and physical activity policies in afterschool programs: results from a group-randomized controlled trial. Prev Med. 2014;66:159–166.