Healthy Kids Beyond the Bell: Investigating the Impact of After-School and Summer Programs

Nearly one in five children are obese, and disparities in overweight and obesity between children from low- and middle-to-high-income households persist despite a multitude of school-based interventions. The structured days hypothesis posits that structure within a school day plays a protective role for children against obesogenic behaviors, and, ultimately, prevents the occurrence of excessive weight gain, thus, past school-based efforts are misplaced. This study will provide access to healthy structured programming via vouchers to afterschool programs and summer day camps during two "windows of vulnerability" (ie afterschool and summer) for low-income children.

Inclusion Criteria: * k-4th grader in a partner school * eligible for free and reduced price lunch (a widely recognized indicator of * socioeconomic level and poverty status) * parent that indicates "yes' on an informed consent document for participation in the study Exclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of an intellectual disability, such as Down Syndrome, Fragile X, Fetal Alcohol * a physical disability, such as wheelchair use, that prevents the ability to ambulate without assistance. * Families who plan to enroll their children in a summer camp or after school program or relocate (i.e., move) during the 14-month period that they participate