P178 Nutrition Education and Physical Activity Opportunities at Federal Summer Nutrition Program Sites in North Carolina

Abstract

Background The Summer Food Service Program and National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option are federal Summer Nutrition Programs (SNP) that provide free meals to children in low-income areas during the summer. The USDA recommends offering nutrition education and physical activity opportunities at SNP meal sites, yet it is unclear how many sites are offering these types of activities. Objective To examine the proportion of North Carolina (NC) SNP sites currently offering and interested in offering nutrition education and physical activity opportunities. Study Design, Settings, Participants In October of 2018, an online questionnaire was emailed to staff from SNP sites in NC. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Information on types of enrichment activities offered at meal sites was collected through the question “Were any of the following activities provided at your SNP site(s) this past summer?” A list of activities was provided and response options were “Yes,” “No, and we have no plans to do so next summer,” and “No, but I am interested in doing so next summer.” Descriptive statistics were calculated. Results Among the 241 meal site staff that completed the survey, 203 responded to the questions on enrichment activities. Physical activity/sports were reported being offered by 65% of respondents. Offering nutrition-related activities was less common, with 40% offering nutrition education, 27% cooking activities, 20% taste tests, and 18% gardening activities. Among sites not currently offering a particular type of activity, the percentage of sites interested in offering that activity next summer was 49% for nutrition education, 41% for taste tests, 34% for gardening activities, 30% for cooking activities, and 30% for physical activity/sports. Conclusion The majority of NC SNP site staff responding to the survey did not offer nutrition-related activities during the 2018 summer, although many were interested in offering them next summer. Nutrition educators can partner with SNP sites to provide nutrition-related activities and physical activity opportunities for children. Funding None.