Health Promot Pract

Background.Local wellness policies (LWPs) are mandated among school systems to enhance nutrition/physical activity opportunities in schools. Prior research notes disparities in LWP implementation. This study uses mixed methods to examine barriers/enablers to LWP implementation, comparing responses by student body income.Method.Schools (n = 744, 24 systems) completed an LWP implementation barriers/enablers survey. Semistructured interviews (n = 20 random subsample) described barriers/enablers. Responses were compared by majority of lower ( 6550% free/reduced-price meals; lower income [LI]) versus higher income (HI) student body.Results.In surveys, LI and HI schools identified common barriers (parents/families, federal/state regulations, students, time, funding) and enablers (school system, teachers, food service, physical education curriculum/resources, and staff). Interviews further elucidated how staffing and funding served as enablers for all schools, and provide context for how and why barriers differed by income: time, food service (HI schools), and parents/families (LI schools).Conclusions.Findings support commonalities in barriers and enablers among all schools, suggesting that regardless of economic context, schools would benefit from additional supports, such as physical education and nutrition education resources integrated into existing curricula, additional funding, and personnel time dedicated to wellness programming. LI schools may benefit from additional funding to support parent and community involvement.B01 OT009025/OT/OSTLTS CDC HHS/United StatesT35 DK095737/DK/NIDDK NIH HHS/United StatesU48 DP001929/DP/NCCDPHP CDC HHS/United StatesU58 DP003497/DP/NCCDPHP CDC HHS/United States2018-11-01T00:00:00Z29347840PMC6095820vault:3099