Session Information
08 SES 10, Health Promoting Schools in Action
Paper Session
Contribution
Globally, children living in poverty often face food insecurity, poor nutrition, higher rates of health problems, and a reliance on unhealthy and non-nutritious foods (Pfingst, 2010; Robaina & Martin, 2013; Coleman et al. 2005). The long term health consequences of these conditions can include obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. In the last three decades, obesity rates have risen dramatically One in every three children (31.7%) ages 2-19 is overweight or obese (Ogden et al. 2010). In 2010, more than 40% of children in the North American and eastern Mediterranean World Health Organization regions, 38% of children in Europe, 27% of children in the western Pacific, and 22% of children in southeast Asia were predicted to be overweight or obese (Han et al., 2010). While these statistics are alarming, researchers are attempting to understand factors influencing childhood obesity and communities who are looking to turn the trend around.
Research indicates that overt instruction regarding nutrition information and lifestyle choices by a child’s caregivers should begin as early as the age of three (Lanigan, 2011). Schools have been recognized are one venue for explicit nutritional instruction because of the supportive environment that shape healthy habits and behaviors. However, not all nutrition education programs contribute to changed or positive nutrition and lifestyle behaviors. Effective nutrition programs tend to have an experiential aspect that influence student behaviors, attitudes, and preferences for vegetables (Cunningham-Sabo & Lohse, 2013).
The purpose of the study was to examine two experiential nutrition programs among similar populations at two separate school sites herein referred to as Site A and Site B. Students at Site A were taught nutrition through the context of a multimodal “Jr. Chef” program. Students at Site B were taught nutrition through a nationally recognized evidence-based community program, Coordinated Approach to Child Health’s (CATCH) and the nutrition curriculum’s messaging module (“Go, Slow, Whoa!”).
The objectives of the study included providing health literacy instruction through two experiential contexts, to observe the current efforts at both school sites, and to determine effective strategies for health literacy instructions in Elementary schools. Based on the theoretical frameworks of the social cognitive theory (Bandura, 2002 and experiential learning (Dewey, 1938), students observed models for healthy food choices and experienced making their own choices in these school based programs.
The research questions included:
1. How does the completion of the multimodal Junior Chef Program influence food and diet knowledge, and eating behaviors?
2. How does the completion of “Go, Slow, Whoa!” messaging module influence the learning of foods and knowledge of healthy eating behaviors?
3. What are the curricular implications for health and nutrition education based on the two approaches to health literacy?
4. What contributing factors influence students choosing and making healthy food choices?
Question 1 was answered from the results of the pre and post text, the shopper advertisement exercise, and food journal entries. Question 2 was answered through self-reported data; follow up interviews, and student artifacts. Questions 3 and 4 was answered from student interviews and questionnaire.
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Bandura, A. (2002). Social cognitive theory in cultural context. Applied Psychology, 51(2), 269-290. Cunningham-Sabo, L., & Lohse, B. (2013). Cooking with Kids positively affects fourth graders' vegetable preferences and attitudes and self-efficacy for food and cooking. Childhood Obesity. 9(6): 549-556. Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and Education. Kappa Delta Pi Han, J. C., Lawlor, D. A., & Kimm, S. (2010). Childhood obesity. The Lancet, 375(9727), 1737-1748. Lanigan, J. D. (2011). The substance and sources of young children's healthy eating and physical activity knowledge: implications for obesity prevention efforts. Child: Care, Health & Development, 37(3), 368-376. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2214.2010.01191.x Ogden, C. L., Carroll, M. D., Kit, B. K., & Flegal, K. M. (2012). Prevalence of obesity and trends in body mass index among US children and adolescents, 1999-2010. Jama, 307(5), 483-490. Pfingst, L. (2010). Weighing In on Inequality: SES and Childhood Obesity in the United States. Conference Papers - American Sociological Association, 2189. Robaina, K. A., & Martin, K. S. (2013). Food insecurity, poor diet quality, and obesity among food pantry participants in Hartford, CT. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, (2), 159.
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