Status of Nutrition Education in Ohio Elementary Schools

Abstract

Many foods and nutrition programs have been developed for elementary schools but have had minimal impact on children's eating behaviors. We assessed the status of nutrition education in Ohio elementary schools during the 1992–93 school year to identify intervention targets and potentially effective strategies for increasing the effectiveness of school-based foods and nutrition programs. A questionnaire was developed and mailed to a 1.6% sample of Ohio elementary school teachers, and a 53% response rate was obtained. Most respondents believed that elementary schools should provide children with foods and nutrition instruction but two-thirds taught this subject during only one-quarter of the school year, providing a total of up to 15 hours of classroom instruction. Previous teaching in nutrition emerged as an important factor in the decision to teach foods and nutrition. Although they are willing to collaborate with school foodservice personnel, teachers have no clear conviction regarding the responsibility of a specific group of people for providing leadership in this field. If school–based foods and nutrition programs are to be strengthened, the activities of teachers and school foodservice personnel will need to be coordinated.