P80 Mixed Methods Evaluation of Healthy Schools’ Healthy Students: Implementation and Outcomes From a School-Based Intervention

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Objective To assess the implementation of the Healthy Schools, Healthy Students (HSHS) intervention and evaluate its impact on knowledge, fruit and vegetable (FV) attitudes, FV preferences, and MyPlate awareness. Use of Theory or Research Prior school based nutrition-education interventions have been shown to positively impact knowledge, FV attitudes, and FV preferences, which are important determinants of dietary intake. Target Audience The HSHS intervention targeted 4th grade students (n intervention = 567 and n control = 490) in a rural, Midwestern state during the 2017-2018 school year. Program Description HSHS was a multi-component intervention featuring classroom-based nutrition education using a modified version of the USDA's Serving Up MyPlate curriculum, cafeteria coaching with older students, and FV taste tests. Evaluation Methods We used a mixed methods evaluation featuring a cluster randomized controlled trial. We matched 20 schools on demographic characteristics and randomized them to intervention or control conditions. We used matched pre- and post-intervention surveys to evaluate quantitative impact, measuring knowledge, FV attitudes, FV preferences, and MyPlate awareness. We used student fixed effects regression models to estimate the intervention effect on post-intervention outcomes. To better understand implementation, we conducted in-depth interviews with project stakeholders and nutrition educators and focus groups with cafeteria coaches. Results For the quantitative evaluation, we observed a significant intervention effect for knowledge (β = 0.27, SE = 0.13, P = .04), taste test vegetable preferences (β = 0.25, SE = 0.09, P = .01), and MyPlate awareness (β = 0.21, SE = 0.05, P Conclusions The HSHS intervention was well received by the schools implementing it and had a modest impact on knowledge and vegetable preferences. Wider implementation of interventions like HSHS could positively impact students without overburdening schools.