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Background: Local School Wellness Policies (LSWPs) to decrease obesity in children were first implemented in 2006.  The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 added more stringent requirements to the LSWP.  Without funding, local education agencies were mandated to create and implement the policies.

Methods: This retrospective study provides a baseline for evaluation of LSWPs by comparing the changes in two electronic body mass index (BMI) measurements for the same child from 2007-2012.  BMIs of 1,987 students in a rural Florida school district were analyzed.  Statistical analyses were completed on 254 matched pairs.

Results: Results showed an increase in BMI in elementary school but a tapering for children in middle school. The LSWPs have not shown a positive impact on the BMIs in this rural county. 

Conclusion: Further evaluation of systematic implementation of the policies and wellness programs is recommended.  Tracking of these children and modification of the LSWP will provide an expanded evidence base for outcomes evaluation.