Evaluation of Texas' child-care-oriented nutrition education and training program

Abstract

Five studies were conducted to evaluate changes in child nutrition related knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of child care personnel participating in Texas' Nutrition Education and Training (NET) Program. Pre- and post-testing showed that brief (4–8 hour) workshops were consistently effective in promoting positive changes in knowledge and in reinforcing positive attitudes of teachers and food service personnel in licensed child care centers. Mailed surveys and surveillance of user feedback demonstrated that nutrition teaching aids (e.g., posters, curriculum guides) and food service management materials (e.g., handbooks, cookbooks) distributed to child care centers and made available through NET's lending library collection were used at rates that were acceptable but less than ideal. Data from questionnaires completed by the directors of child care centers whose staff had participated in NET workshops (n = 17) and a comparison group of centers (n = 16) indicated that nutrition instruction in preschool classrooms was closer to ideal in the workshop group. Involving food service personnel in learning activities for the children was a relative strength of nutrition education in the workshop group. Problems diagnosed in day-care center menus (i.e., deficiencies in food energy, iron, and variety of fruit) persisted 6 and 12 weeks after the staff participated in a menu planning workshop. The same pattern of menu strengths and weaknesses was observed in a comparison group (n = 20) as in the workshop group (n = 20). When the results of all five studies were combined, the majority of statistically evaluated outcomes were significantly positive and none were negative. Because the program had a greater impact on knowledge and attitudes than on behavior, it was concluded that, in addition to continued support for the NET program, there is a need for expanding the model on which the program is based.