Key result
School wellness initiative linked to a ~6% increase in wellness metrics met over four years.
Why the study?
Childhood diabetes and obesity present a growing challenge in South Carolina, with modifiable risk factors concentrated in schools serving low-income and racially diverse populations.
Does a school-based wellness initiative improve wellness metrics related to diabetes risk in youth?
Population
94,314 expanding to 173,245 students across up to 21 school districts in South Carolina
Comparison
School-based wellness initiative support over time
Design
Longitudinal school wellness initiative evaluation
Follow-up
Four school years
Authors
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May support school wellness programs to address youth diabetes risk; leaves open effects on clinical incidence.
Observational (n=173,245)
Yes
Does a school-based wellness initiative improve wellness metrics related to diabetes risk in youth?
Absolute Event Rate: 62.1% vs 55.7%
p-value: p=<0.01
A statewide school wellness initiative in South Carolina significantly improved school environments and wellness metrics, highlighting a scalable approach to reducing long-term diabetes risk in youth.
FU et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Childhood diabetes and obesity risk (n=173,245). School-based wellness initiative vs. Baseline (2021-22 school year) was evaluated on Average percentage of wellness metrics met (p=<0.01). A statewide school wellness initiative increased the average percentage of wellness metrics met from 55.7% to 62.1% over four years, with significant improvements across all domains (p<0.01).
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