School‐Based Cardiovascular Health Promotion: The Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health (CATCH)

TLDR

CATCH is a multisite school‑based intervention study building on advances in school health education research from the 1980s. The paper outlines Phase II of CATCH, explaining the rationale for promoting cardiovascular health among youth. CATCH implements a multi‑phase intervention targeting third‑fifth graders, integrating classroom curricula, school environmental changes, and family programs to promote healthy eating, physical activity, and smoking cessation, guided by a change‑process framework.

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health (CATCH) is a multisite intervention research study that builds on significant progress made in school health education research in the 1980s. The study has three phases: Phase I deals with study design, intervention, and measurement development, Phase II involves the main trial in 96 school'; in four states, and Phase III focuses on analysis. The intervention program targets third‐fifth grade students and focuses on multiple cardiovascular health behaviors, including eating habits, physical activity, and cigarette smoking. Classroom curricula, school environmental change, and family involvement programs are developed for each grade level and behavioral focus. This paper describes Phase II of CATCH with a rationale for cardiovascular health promotion with youth. The process of change that appears to be necessary for school‐based health promotion and that will be tested in CATCH are presented as a framework to guide these efforts.