Our Project
ROI4Kids is a collaborative research project that aims to:
- Evaluate the effectiveness of school health programs and policies
- Examine ‘broader benefits’ of school health programs and policies such as for academic performance and mental health
- Optimize the implementation and delivery of school health programs
- Estimate program/policy costs and avoided healthcare costs
- Engage end-users in the research process to enhance the impact and uptake of findings
Our Goal
Our goal is to provide decision-makers, practitioners, and the general public with clear, actionable, evidence-based information on the effectiveness and return on investment of school health program and policy options. The research builds on the previous and ongoing work of our team members in the area of children’s lifestyle and school health:
- Raising healthy Eating and Active Living Kids Alberta (REAL Kids Alberta), Alberta
- School Nutrition and Activity Project (SNAP), PEI
- Healthy Hearts, Alberta
- Children’s Lifestyle and School-performance Study (CLASS), Nova Scotia
- APPLE Schools (A Project Promoting healthy Living for Everyone in schools), Alberta
Through this research and our intervention research experience, we will provide decision-makers, practitioners, and the general public with clear, evidence-based information on the effectiveness and return on investment of child health program and policy options.
Why is this Research Important?
In Canada, substantial public health and economic burden is attributed to chronic diseases that are largely preventable by adopting a healthy lifestyle. While the need for effective child health promotion programs and policies is well recognized, details on implementation and the cost-effectiveness of different policies and programs are still unclear.
Objectives
Our research seeks to fill gaps in knowledge through six interrelated research objectives:
