2000115-Strengthening-Communities-with-Neighborhood-Data

228 Strengthening Communities with Neighborhood Data
and spatial patterns of an urgent community problem. Their success is due
to a combination of sound data shared through clear graphics to inspire
community stakeholders and partners to enact a set of targeted interventions
to support better children’s health outcomes.
The nationwide epidemic of childhood obesity has been well-publicized,
and Texas has been one of the hardest-hit states. As of 2007, 20.4 percent
of Texas children aged 10 to 17 were obese and 32.2 percent were overweight.
11 This issue disproportionately affects families of low-income
and minority populations (Caprio et al. 2008; Singh, Kogan, and van
Dyck 2010). Kohl and Cook (2013) review the growing evidence connecting
physical fitness, cognitive development, and academic performance.
The Austin Independent School District (AISD) conducted its own
study of this relationship (Herrera 2009). Across grades 3 to 12, students
who were rated as having cardiovascular fitness in the healthy
zone had significantly better attendance and higher reading, English
language arts, and Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills math
scale scores than did students with cardiovascular ratings not in the
healthy zone.
The first component needed for data-driven action is the creation and
availability of the data. The Texas State Senate recognized the importance
of understanding children’s health status and passed a bill in June
2007 mandating increased physical activity for youth. As part of the
implementation of the law, the state required that each district assess the
physical fitness of students in grades 3 through 12 each year, including
measuring body mass index (BMI) and cardiovascular health 12 (Sage
et al. 2010). Physical education instructors collect the data each October
and May by administering fitness tests and measuring each child’s BMI
during class. The decision to create a centralized dataset with this information
opened up an exciting opportunity to examine the problem of
obesity at a fine-grained level. 13
Children’s Optimal Health (COH) spearheaded the second stage—
moving from data collection to analysis and presentation of the data—to
facilitate a common understanding of the problem. COH began as an
informal coalition in 2006 to improve children’s health in Central Texas
and became a registered nonprofit in 2008. The organization’s mission
is to inform actions that ensure every child in Central Texas becomes a
healthy, productive adult. Their board of directors has representatives
across sectors (funders; health, education, and social service providers;
data providers; nonprofit organizations; for-profit firms; and