The Bienestar After School Health Club: A Component of a School-Based Nutrition Intervention Program

Abstract

LEARNING OUTCOME:To describe an alternate method for teaching children to increase servings of fruits and vegetables and decrease servings of fatty foods in the diet. The purpose of the Bienestar (wellbeing) Health Club is to increase servings of fruits and vegetables and decrease servings of fatty foods in the diet. The weekly health club is one component of a nutrition intervention program targeting 101(m=46 f=55) fourth-grade Mexican-American children from low socioeconomic status. Three dietary recalls to include a weekend day were collected and evaluated. Servings of fruit, vegetable, and rat were 1.5, 1.1, and 7.8 respectively. The theoretical framework for the health club which is in the pilot phase is based on Social Cognitive Theory which incorporates social diffusion, reinforcement, cognitive, affective, inactive, and observational learning. A coupon incentive system increases attendance. Learning activities include games such as Healthy Choices; “making a better me”, Bienestar Feud, and Loteria, a culturally sensitive bingo which has been modified to include positive lifestyle behaviors and examples of good food choices. A creativity book presents students with scenarios such as managing a restaraunt in which they are to develop low-fat authentic mexican-american meals. Theatrical plays and puppet shows developed and performed by the students to their families address health problems and benefits of healthy choices. The characters of the puppet show are incorporated into a coloring book demonstrating positive eating and exercise habits. Students also have the opportunity to be editors in the “Bienestar Express”, a monthly newsletter sent to each students household. Exercise activities are included to educate students on techniques and benefits of physical activity. In conclusion, the school health curriculum should be enhanced with structured extracurricular programs to improve child nutrition.