Study design
The Colorado LEAP project is a longitudinal cohort
study utilizing a controlled quasi-experimental design in
5 rural Colorado communities. Two communities serve as
intervention communities with the other 3 as matched
controls. Intervention sites will receive The Food Friends®
nutrition and physical activity programs in preschool and
‘booster’ programming in kindergarten and 1st grade.
Assessments will be administered 4 times - twice in
preschool (Fall and Spring) and once in both kindergarten
and 1st grade (Spring) (Figure 1). Observational
measures of children will be conducted at the school;
parent/home measures will be sent home and returned to
school via the child; and school personnel will complete
school environment and policy assessments. This study was
approved by the institutional review boards at Colorado
State University and the University of Colorado Denver
Anschutz Medical Campus