School-based Nutrition Education Program Research Articles

School-Based Nutrition Education Program Improves Second Grade Students’ Nutrition Knowledge

School-Based Nutrition Education Program Improves Second Grade Students’ Nutrition Knowledge

Early Elementary Teachers Perceive School-Based Nutrition Program to Be an Effective Method for Promoting Positive Nutrition Behaviors

Participants will be able to describe the perceived benefits of a school-based nutrition education program on teacher and student nutrition related behaviors.

Adding a Social Marketing Campaign to a School-based Nutrition Education Program Improves Dietary Intake Among Children

Adding a Social Marketing Campaign to a School-based Nutrition Education Program Improves Dietary Intake Among Children

The Nutrition Education Initiative Resource Guide

Background and Purpose: With obesity in children and youth continuing to be a major health problem in the U.S., schools are considered an important setting to implement programs to address the issue but few have focused on middle school students. The purposes of this study were to: 1) determine the effectiveness of a school-based nutrition education program, the Nutrition Education Initiative (NEI) Resource Guide, in improving school lunch eating behaviors of middle school students, and 2) identify science teachers’ perceptions of the materials. Implementation: The project was implemented by 16 middle school science teachers and 309 seventh grade students in a medium-sized north Florida community. The NEI Guide included three conceptual areas (Build a Healthy Base, Choose Sensibly and Aim for Fitness), major concepts, objectives, narrative information, and teaching strategies. Evaluation: Using a pre-/post without control group design, the study involved collecting data via food recall surveys with students, and surveys and interviews with teachers. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t-tests. Results: During lunch time, a higher proportion of students met the recommended dietary servings for dairy, meat, vegetables, fruit, juice and grains from pre-test to post-test. Students also significantly increased dietary intake of meat (p< .01), fruit (p< .01) and fruit/juice combined (p< .05); and significantly decreased intake of fried vegetables (p< .001), with decreased fat intake approaching significance (p< .06). Differences in dietary patterns were noted between the two schools studied. Science teachers perceived the NEI Guide as effective; yet they also identified challenges including lack of adequate training, lack of time to implement the materials, and lack of collaboration with the project team. Conclusion: The project outcomes suggest that middle school science teachers can positively impact school lunch eating behaviors of middle school students in selected schools by incorporating nutrition education in their curricula.

Healthy Ever After: A Community Partnership to Provide Free Nutrition Education in Public Elementary Schools

Participants will be able to discuss how hospital-based dietitians can develop and establish a successful school-based nutrition education program by partnering with local school districts, parent volunteers, and grocery stores.

Long-term Student Outcomes of the Integrated Nutrition and Physical Activity Program

To examine the long-term effects of the Integrated Nutrition and Physical Activity Program (INPAP), a school-based nutrition education program. Quasi-experimental design comparing intervention and comparison cohorts at 3-6 years after delivery of the INPAP intervention on nutrition- and physical activity-related outcomes. This study was conducted in 1 school district in a low-income rural county of ∼15,000 residents in south-central Colorado. In second grade, intervention and comparison cohorts included 173 (fall 2000) and 190 (fall 1999) students, respectively. Approximately 60% of these students completed assessments in eighth grade. INPAP is an experiential school-based nutrition education program, grounded in social cognitive theory and Piaget's cognitive development theory and adapted for use in a rural setting. Nutrition and physical activity knowledge, self-efficacy, attitudes and behaviors, body mass index. Wilcoxon signed rank test, chi-square test for proportions, and t test for means. Long-term effects were observed in nutrition-related knowledge and attitudes but not self-efficacy or behavior change. The effects that did occur were attenuated over time. This study found that INPAP implemented in elementary school had limited lasting effects by the end of middle school, a time when students have increased autonomy to make food choices.

Psychosocial Measures Used to Assess the Effectiveness of School-based Nutrition Education Programs: Review and Analysis of Self-report Instruments for Children 8 to 12 Years Old

To identify the psychometric properties of evaluation instruments that measure mediators of dietary behaviors in school-aged children. Systematic search of scientific databases limited to 1999-2010. Psychometric properties related to development and testing of self-report instruments for children 8-12 years old. Systematic search of 189 articles and review of 15 instruments (20 associated articles) meeting the inclusion criteria. Search terms used included children, school, nutrition, diet, nutrition education, and evaluation. Fourteen studies used a theoretical framework to guide the instrument's development. Knowledge and self-efficacy were the most commonly used psychosocial measures. Twelve instruments focused on specific nutrition-related behaviors. Eight instruments included over 40 items and used age-appropriate response formats. Acceptable reliability properties were most commonly reported for attitude and self-efficacy measures. Although most of the instruments were reviewed by experts (n = 8) and/or pilot-tested (n = 9), only 7 were tested using both rigorous types of validity and with low-income youth. Results from this review suggest that additional research is needed to develop more robust psychosocial measures for dietary behaviors, for low-income youth audiences.

State-wide dissemination of a school-based nutrition education programme: a RE-AIM (Reach, Efficacy, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) analysis.

The current study evaluated the overall public health impact of the 'Shaping Up My Choices' (SMC) programme, a 10-week school-based nutrition education curriculum developed for third-grade students, using the RE-AIM (Reach, Efficacy, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) framework. Randomized controlled trial to evaluate the programme and secondary analysis of archival data to describe dissemination. Data were collected from programme records, teacher surveys and student pre-, post- and 3-month follow-up surveys. Public elementary schools in California. An evaluation sample (938 students and nineteen teachers) and a dissemination sample (195 245 students and 7359 teachers). In the evaluation sample, differences between the control and intervention groups were observed for nutrition knowledge, self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, and intakes of vegetables, fruit (girls only), soda, and low-nutrient high-energy foods from pre- to post-survey. Group differences in change in knowledge, outcome expectancies and vegetable intake were sustained through the 3-month follow-up (efficacy). One hundred per cent of intervention teachers in the evaluation sample implemented all of the lessons (implementation). The dissemination sample represented 42% of third-grade students (reach) and 39% of third-grade classrooms in public elementary schools in California during 2010-2011 (adoption). Thirty-seven per cent of third-grade teachers in the dissemination sample reordered SMC materials during the subsequent school year (2011-2012; maintenance). The SMC programme demonstrates the potential for moderate to high public health impact.

Successful Approaches to Incorporating a School-Based Nutrition Education Program into Didactic Program in Dietetics and Dietetic Internship Curriculum

Successful Approaches to Incorporating a School-Based Nutrition Education Program into Didactic Program in Dietetics and Dietetic Internship Curriculum

Development of Age-Appropriate Tools to Measure Attitude, Knowledge and Behavior Change in Early Elementary Children Participating in a School-Based Nutrition Education Program

Development of Age-Appropriate Tools to Measure Attitude, Knowledge and Behavior Change in Early Elementary Children Participating in a School-Based Nutrition Education Program

Evaluation of Knowledge and Behavior Changes in Middle School Students

Childhood and adolescent obesity is rapidly increasing. The EatFit one program designed to improve the eating and fitness choices of middle school adolescents. Pre and post‐tests were used to assess twenty 6th to 8th grade student's knowledge and behaviors of nutrition and physical activity practices. There was a significant increase (p<.05) in the numbers of days students participated in flexibility/stretching exercises after completing the EatFit program. Students participated on average of one more day per week in strength exercises and lifestyle exercises on the post‐test compared to the pre‐test. Students made nutrition‐related behavior changes upon completion of this program such as making healthier eating choices in their choice of pizza topping, beverage choice, and cereal. Students reported they could set another eating or fitness goal and achieve it. 85% of students answered they met their eating goal, and made an effort to meet their eating goal. Our results showed the EatFit program can lead to positive changes in nutrition and physical activity‐behavior‐related behavior change. Dietitians and healthcare professionals can impact the implementation and expansion of school‐based nutrition education and physical activity programs like EatFit. Supported by Department of Dietetic and nutrition and Graduate School.

Effects of a School-Based Nutrition Program Diffused Throughout a Large Urban Community on Attitudes, Beliefs, and Behaviors Related to Fruit and Vegetable Consumption

Obesity among US children has increased in recent years. Although increased fruit and vegetable consumption has not been directly linked to obesity prevalence, it has been posited that more fruits and vegetables (FV) could reduce the consumption of high-fat, energy-dense foods and may protect against childhood illnesses including asthma and other respiratory diseases. The purpose of this current research was to assess the impact of a large public school district's hybrid approach to nutrition education programming on attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors related to fruit and vegetable consumption. A total of 12 elementary schools from the Los Angeles Unified School District (9 intervention schools, 3 control schools) were randomly selected to participate in a "hybrid" school-based nutrition education program. Data were collected at baseline (beginning of school year) and postintervention data (end of school year 9 months later). Linear mixed models were developed to assess the impact of the intervention. The intervention resulted in a significant change in teacher influence on students' attitudes toward FV (p < .05) and students' attitudes toward vegetables (p < .01), even after adjusting for gender, grade, and race/ethnicity. Although not statistically significant, there was a slight increase in fruit and vegetable consumption from pretest to posttest for both the intervention and control schools. The hybrid model reflects a more accurate representation of school-based interventions. More research is needed to identify the specific components of this model that are most successful in impacting fruit and vegetable consumption among US children.

What Do Schools Want? Assessing Elementary School Administrator and Teacher Preferences Related to Nutrition Education Program Scheduling

Extension is positioned to provide school-based nutrition education programs as required by the 2004 Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act. To enhance program acceptance and sustainability, it is important to consider school administrators' and teachers' interests and preferences regarding nutrition education programming. The project described here assessed interest in nutrition education, scheduling, and implementation format preferences among 34 elementary school administrators and 45 elementary school teachers. Among administrators and teachers interested in Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service's county educators providing nutrition education programs, the general trend was for in-school student education, consisting of four weekly programs, 30 minutes in length.

School Health and Nutrition Programs

Schools play an effective role for adopt and maintain healthy eating and physical activity behaviors in children and adolescents. Schools are an important part of national efforts to prevent chronic diseases such as childhood obesity, coronary heart diseases, diabetes and cancer. Nutrition programs in schools can help children and adolescents participate in full educational potential; improve academic performance and health quality. To ensure a healthy future for our children, school-based nutrition education programs must become a national priority. Governments, community leaders, doctors, dieteticians, nurses, teachers, and parents must commit to implementing and sustaining nutrition education programs within the schools. School health and nutrition programs which part of public health and education are summarized in this review.

Using Teacher Ratings to Document Response to a School-based Nutrition Education Program for Preschoolers

Accurate and efficient measures are needed to evaluate school-based nutrition interventions. We determined the utility of teacher reports of preschoolers' lunchtime intake against a noninvasive fruit/vegetable intake biomarker (dermal carotenoid status assessed via resonance Raman spectroscopy).

Effectiveness of a Peer-Led, School-Based Culinary Nutrition Education Program in Middle Schools

Effectiveness of a Peer-Led, School-Based Culinary Nutrition Education Program in Middle Schools

Lay people's views of school food policy options: associations with confidence, personal values and demographics

A random population survey administered by mail to examine lay people's views of children's food policies and their associations with demographics, personal values and confidence in authorities was conducted among adults in Victoria, Australia. Three hundred and seventy-seven people responded (response rate 57.6%). The questionnaire contained 35 items about children's healthy eating policy options plus details like personal values, confidence and demographic items. There was widespread support for healthy school food policies. The strongest support was for life skills education and school-based nutrition and physical education programmes. Many age-related associations indicated that people >48 years were more in favour of healthy eating policies than younger people. There were fewer statistically significant associations with parent status and sex. In contrast, many associations showed that respondents with strong equity-harmony values and those with least confidence in the authorities were most in favour of healthy eating policies for schoolchildren. It is concluded that there is widespread support for school-based health and nutrition education and for active school food policies. However, differences between demographic and values groups suggest the need for caution in the promotion of public health nutrition initiatives among schoolchildren.

Nutrition Knowledge and Food Choices of Primary School Pupils in the Niger – Delta Region Nigeria

The study investigated the effect of a 3 - week school based nutrition education programme on nutrition knowledge and healthy food choices of 197 primary six pupils (197 sixth grades) randomly divided into a control (n = 102) or an experimental group (n = 95). The control group received no nutrition education while the experimental group received 40 minutes of nutrition education, 4 days a week for 3 weeks nutrition knowledge scores and 3 day food records were collected at the beginning of the study and after 3 weeks. Food records were used to evaluate healthy food choices (i.e Dietary Guideline's recommended intake for macronutrients and the recommendations of the Food Guide Pyramid for each food group). In th e experimental group three was significantly greater increase in nutrition knowledge score (p = 0.001) and significantly change in compliance in meeting the Dietary Guidelines (p = 0.0001) and the Food Guide Pyramid's recommendations (p = 0.0001). This study showed the effectiveness of a nutrition education programme on nutrition knowledge scores and healthy primary six pupils (children in sixth grade).

Nutrition Knowledge and Food Choices of Elementary School Children

This research investigated the effect of a three-week school based nutrition education program on the nutrition knowledge and healthy food choices of 187 fifth graders who were randomly divided into a control ( n =97) or an experimental ( n =90) group. The control group received no nutrition education while the experimental group received 45 minutes of nutrition education, 4 days a week for 3 weeks. Nutrition knowledge scores and 3-day food records were collected at the beginning of the study and after 3 weeks. Food records were used to evaluate healthy food choices ( i.e. Dietary Guideline's recommended intake for macronutrients and the recommendations of the Food Guide Pyramid for each food group). In the experimental group there was a significantly greater increase in nutrition knowledge score ( p =0.001) and significant change in compliance in meeting the Dietary Guidelines ( p =0.0001) and the Food Guide Pyramid's recommendations ( p =0.0001). This study showed the effectiveness of a nutrition education program on nutrition knowledge scores and healthy food choices of fifth grade children.

A Composite Score for Use with the Food Guide Pyramid

The Food Guide Pyramid (FGP) is a government-produced food guidance system. The FGP is the most researched food guide and was the most costly to produce, yet there is no procedure to objectively determine individual adherence to guidelines. This article describes the development of a composite score to address this issue. The scoring evaluates how well or how poorly individuals are eating based on FGP guidelines, including serving recommendations, variety, and proportionality. The scoring uses food databases that contain standard FGP serving sizes to identify servings from the five food groups and the fats and sweets category. Food intake data are scored using a paper and pencil questionnaire to determine an individual's compliance with the FGP. The scoring is designed to enhance the use of the FGP in school-based nutrition education programs as a learning tool to improve food choice behavior.