Pathways, a research study funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, is a school-based health promotion program that includes physical activity, nutrition, classroom curriculum, and family involvement. The primary purpose of the Pathways study is to prevent obesity among American Indian children by promoting increased physical activity and healthful eating behaviors.
The Pathways intervention was conducted with 1,704 third through fifth grade children from 41 schools in seven American Indian Nations. The tribal groups participating in this study included the Navajo Nation, the Gila River Indian Community, the Tohono O’odham Nation, the White Mountain Apache Tribe, the San Carlos Apache Tribe, the Oglala Lakota Nation, and the Sicangu Lakota Nation. The tribes worked in partnership with five universities to develop and implement Pathways. The universities included the University of New Mexico, the University of Arizona, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Minnesota, and the University of North Carolina.
Pathways includes four components. This intervention was designed so that all four components are to be implemented together. We highly recommend that you implement Pathways in this way. The four components of Pathways are:
- Curriculum
- Family
- Food Service
- Physical Activity
Each of these components and accompanying materials has been included for the use of interested teachers, school personnel, and health promotion practitioners. These materials can be viewed and printed.
For more information on the Pathways intervention components, click here.
To see QUOTES/PHOTOS