# The Little Rock Green Schoolyard Initiative: Changing Community Norms and Improving Opportunities for Physical Activity

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIV OF ARKANSAS FOR MED SCIS · 2024 · $327,567

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The Little Rock Green Schoolyard Initiative, with training and technical assistance from the National League of
Cities and the Children and Nature Network, aims to transform the grounds of two elementary schools into
nature-filled greenspaces. Using a community-schools model, several critical needs were identified. These
include: (1) opportunities for outdoor learning; (2) improved outdoor play experiences; and (3) safe, welcoming
spaces to connect with nature outside of school hours. Both schools serve low-income, predominately African
American communities. Each school is centrally located in a walkable neighborhood, but residents in these
neighborhoods have limited access to city parks within walking distance. The communities surrounding these
schools are disproportionately affected by cardiometabolic conditions linked to inadequate physical activity and
obesity. For the children, more opportunity for active learning and play may increase physical activity which
has been shown to be beneficial for cardiometabolic profiles of children and may help address obesity-related
health disparities. These health disparities are already evident in children in the two neighborhoods being
impacted by this city-led program with higher proportions of severe obesity by 4th grade (body mass index
exceeding 120% of the 95th percentile) than other schools in the city and state. The goal of this study is to
explore the pathways through which green schoolyard improvements can reduce the development of obesity-
related health disparities, as well as improve academic outcomes and community well-being. A growing
literature on the health benefits of greener environments suggests that physical activity, air quality, sleep, and
social behaviors are intertwined pathways that may protect against excess weight gain. Data will be collected
on outcomes related to these pathways before, during, and after the green schoolyard transformations from
children in the two program schools and in comparable non-program schools within the Little Rock School
District. The study is designed to understand how these pathways work in combination and whether greener
schoolyards influence patterns of play in ways that improve opportunities for physical activity among children
who are at greater risk for developing severe obesity. Community and school-level barriers to implementation
of the green schoolyard intervention will also be identified to inform future initiatives. Another strength of this
study lies in the fact that there will be different dimensions to the greenspace improvements across the two
schools. This allows for a richer understanding of how characteristics of the greenspace and differences in
implementation affect these pathways. The lessons learned from Little Rock’s green schoolyards program will
inform pragmatic and cost-effective interventions that slow the growth of severe childhood obesity in
communities across the United States and reduce obesity-related...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10831906
- **Project number:** 5R01MD018192-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF ARKANSAS FOR MED SCIS
- **Principal Investigator:** Michael R. Thomsen
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $327,567
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-09-18 → 2026-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10831906

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10831906, The Little Rock Green Schoolyard Initiative: Changing Community Norms and Improving Opportunities for Physical Activity (5R01MD018192-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10831906. Licensed CC0.

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