Families Eating Smart Moving More: Development of a Program Assistant Guide for the Head Start Audience

Abstract

Development of an evidence-based teaching guide for Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Program Assistants (PAs) in North Carolina (NC). This resource provides guidance to help PAs adapt an existing curriculum, Families Eating Smart & Moving More, to educate Head Start (HS) teachers on positive health behaviors. Classroom nutrition education can improve children's eating habits and long-term weight status, making teachers important partners for encouraging healthy lifestyles. However, HS teachers may not be prepared to serve as role models for children due to their limited knowledge. Professional development opportunities targeting teacher health behaviors are needed. Target audience were Head Start teachers in NC. The guide presents EFNEP PAs with guidance for educating HS teachers including planning considerations, solutions to potential barriers, and classroom tips for making nutrition education more adaptable to HS audience. PAs delivered the 6-lesson series to HS teachers in seven NC centers to provide context to the guide's development. After implementation, two HS nutrition coordinators and 30 teachers in seven ENC centers provided feedback on how to best implement the program in the HS environment. Data was collected in the form of interviews and teacher journals. EFNEP will use the guide to train PAs in other counties to help HS teachers improve their personal nutrition and physical activity-related health behaviors. Future research will explore teachers’ efficacy to implement more nutrition education in their classrooms after participating in Families Eating Smart, Moving More.