What Went Wrong With Texas’ $37M Child Obesity Program?

About one in three Texas kids between the ages of 10 and 17 is considered overweight or obese. A few years ago, in 2007, Texas decided to do something about that. That something was labeled “Texas Fitness Now” — a $37 million program in high poverty middle schools designed to reduce obesity with physical education. Turns out, the program didn’t really meet its goals.

By Nathan Bernier and Laura RiceAugust 28, 2015 10:24 am,

A couple of researchers from the University of Texas at Austin’s LBJ School of Public Affairs — Paul von Hippel and Kyle Bradbury — analyzed obesity rates at more than one thousand middle schools. They found that although the program did not reduce obesity — it did at least increase some fitness levels and measures of strength.

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