The Telstra Foundation this week released an evaluation of CQU's CHASE (Creating Healthy Adolescents & Secondary School Environments) project.

The evaluation was part of a nationwide external review of childhood obesity projects supported by the Telstra Foundation Community Development Fund, and was carried out by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

CHASE investigated physical activity and nutrition behaviours among adolescents and how the school environment could be altered to promote health, with the help of $60,000 funding over 2 years (2004-2006).

Many organisations supported the project including Sports Medicine Australia, city councils, Queensland Health, recruitment organisation CHR, Capricornia Credit Union, Stanwell Corporation, the COIN Internet Academy and local charities.

The evaluation notes the whole of community approach produced many positive outcomes, including an increased awareness of the health needs of adolescents.

"Positive changes have been made to their physical and social environments and to school policies.

"Relationships were established with stakeholders that will result in community support and ongoing interest for future projects conducted by CQU.

"Student focus groups ... enabled students to be involved in identifying key initiatives for implementation within their school".

The evaluation notes there will be an examination of the impact on changes in knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and skills of students, teachers and parents.

There will be assessment of change in student physical activity and nutrition behaviours and student and parent perceptions of their school environments.

"The principal issue is the need to expend the majority of the effort to attract, engage and retain school participation," the evaluation notes under 'lessons learned'.

The collaborative design of the project aimed to promote capacity building within each school and sustainability of interventions.

A final evaluation of the capacity and sustainability aspects is planned for Term 1, 2007.

The CHASE project was conducted through CQU's Centre for Social Science Research.

For details on CHASE visit: www.chaseproject.org.au or contact Professor Kerry Mummery via k.mummery@cqu.edu.au .

For details on the Telstra Foundation evaluations, visit www.telstrafoundation.com/ .