P94: Teachers' Attitudes Regarding the Integration of Nutrition into the School Curriculum

Abstract

The “Nutrition Competencies for California Children: Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12” provides sequential and comprehensive standards for school-based nutrition education. We assessed teachers' attitudes regarding the Nutrition Competencies document and the integration of nutrition into the school curriculum. A survey was mailed to a random sample of California public school teachers (n = 250) with a response rate of 86.8%. Teachers responded that nutrition education should begin at the Pre-Kindergarten (60.93%) and Kindergarten (21.86%) level. All teachers agreed or strongly agreed that incorporating nutrition lessons into the health curriculum is a good use of school time; more middle (P = .032) and high school (P = .016) teachers agreed or strongly agreed with this than elementary school teachers. Teachers agreed or strongly agreed that incorporating nutrition lessons into the curricula of home economics (≥81%), physical education (>70%) and science (>70%) is a good use of school time. More elementary school teachers agreed or strongly agreed that incorporating nutrition lessons into English is a good use of school time than middle (P < .001) and high school (P < .001) teachers. Elementary school teachers more strongly agreed than middle school teachers that incorporating nutrition lessons into the mathematics curriculum is a good use of school time (P = .019). Clearly, teachers support integrating nutrition into the school curriculum. No differences were detected when comparing responses based on school income level or participation in California's SHAPE Program. This project was funded in part by the California Department of Education.