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Descriptors:
Learning Problems; Educational Research; Cognitive Development; Children; Child Health; Nutrition; Literature Reviews; Developmental Disabilities; Research Methodology; Eating Habits; Health Behavior; Brain; Mental Health; Attention Deficit Disorders; Hyperactivity; Dyslexia

Abstract:
Despite the potential impact nutrition may have on learning, there have been surprisingly few papers published directed towards the educational research community. In contrast, omega-3 supplementation studies are being frequently cited in the media, leading to parents asking for advice and guidance. The purpose of this article is to review the evidence to date for any effect of using omega-3 supplementation in school-aged children. This article focuses on the research that has been undertaken, particularly in relation to behaviour, education and cognitive development, in both typically developing populations as well as in children with specific learning difficulties and developmental disorders. Recommendations for future studies in this area have been highlighted in view of current knowledge. In conclusion, it was found that there is a shortage of properly controlled omega-3 supplementation trials, particularly with typically developing children, to advocate the supplementation of all children with omega-3 fatty acids, but due to the known importance of omega-3 fatty acids in the brain and early development, further research is required. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Intelligence; Learning Disabilities; Adolescents; Inhibition; Hyperactivity; Short Term Memory; Attention Deficit Disorders; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Neurological Organization; Neurology; Neuropsychology; Psychomotor Skills; Correlation; Secondary Schools; Foreign Countries

Abstract:
Aim: Research suggests important links between motor coordination and executive functions. The current study examined whether motor coordination predicts working memory, inhibition, and switching performance, extending previous research by accounting for attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptomatology and other confounding factors, in an adolescent normative sample. Method: Ninety-three adolescents (38 females, 55 males) aged 12 to 16 years (mean age 4y 2mo, SD 1y 1mo) were assessed on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2), Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV, N-back task, the inhibition subtest from the NEPSY-II: A Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment, second edition, and the parent-rated Strengths and Weaknesses of ADHD Symptoms and Normal Behaviour Questionnaire. Results: The MABC-2 total score accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in visuospatial working memory (p=0.041) but not for verbal working memory. The MABC-2 aiming and catching component, however, was found to account for unique variance in both verbal (p=0.019) and visuospatial working memory (p=0.016). The MABC-2 total score was found to account for a significant proportion of the variance in inhibition total completion time (p=0.017). Finally, balance skills accounted for unique variance in a NEPSY-II inhibition total errors variable (p=0.020). Interpretation: The results provide support for an overlap between motor coordination and executive functions, which has important practical implications. The study also suggests shared mechanisms underpinning the relationship between these areas, including possible cerebellar involvement. (Contains 4 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Child Health; Achievement Gap; School Restructuring; Play; Physical Activities; Educational Objectives; Outcomes of Education; Public Health; Hyperactivity; Pregnancy; Student Motivation; Learning Motivation; Urban Youth; Minority Groups; Intervention; Role; Incidence; Attribution Theory; Correlation; Diseases; Vision; Aggression; Violence; Eating Habits; Attention Deficit Disorders; Health Education; Health Promotion

Abstract:
No matter how well teachers are prepared to teach, no matter what accountability measures are put in place, no matter what governing structures are established for schools, educational progress will be profoundly limited if students are not "motivated and able to learn". Health-related problems play a major role in limiting the motivation and ability to learn of urban minority youth, and interventions to address those problems can improve educational as well as health outcomes. Healthier students are better learners. Recent research in fields ranging from neurosciences and child development to epidemiology and public health provide compelling evidence for the causal role that "educationally relevant health disparities" play in the educational achievement gap that plagues urban minority youth. This is why reducing these health disparities must be a fundamental part of school reform. School leaders must prioritize how to use scarce resources to address the critical health problems affecting youth. In this essay, three criteria were used for establishing priorities: prevalence and extent of health disparities negatively affecting urban minority youth; evidence of causal effects on educational outcomes; and feasibility of implementing proven or promising school-based programs and policies to address the health problem. Based on these criteria, seven educationally relevant health disparities were selected as strategic priorities: (1) "vision", (2) "asthma", (3) "teen pregnancy", (4) "aggression and violence", (5) "physical activity", (6) "breakfast", and (7) "inattention and hyperactivity". Many other health problems affecting youth are also important, and the particular health problems deemed most important in a given school or school district will vary. (Contains 1 footnote.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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 ERIC Full Text (610K)

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Foreign Countries; Behavior Change; Qualitative Research; Mothers; Children; Pollution; Smoking; Intervention; Outcome Measures; Barriers; Family Environment; Health Promotion; Health Behavior; Public Health; Child Health; Parent Attitudes; Program Effectiveness; Comparative Analysis; Statistical Analysis; Case Studies

Abstract:
This article explores mothers' narratives of changing home smoking behaviours after participating in an intervention (Reducing Families' Exposure to Smoking in the Home [REFRESH]) aimed at reducing families' exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) in homes in Scotland. An analysis of qualitative findings illuminates quantitative changes in levels of SHS exposure. Prospective quantitative and qualitative data were drawn from 21 smoking mothers with at least one child under 6 years. Quantitative change was measured by home air quality, i.e. fine particulate matter less than 2.5 micrograms (PM[subscript 2.5]). These measurements guided the organization of mothers into categories of change (smoke-free home at baseline [SFB], smoke-free home at final, some change and no change [NC]). Qualitative data from 17 mothers with non-SFB were analysed thematically within and across these categories. Three comparative case studies illustrate the varying changes made, barriers to change and how mothers valued such changes. The outcomes varied post-intervention, with homes smoke-free, partially smoke-free or making NC. The changes in home smoking behaviour were incremental, yet beneficial to reducing SHS exposure, and related to the nature of the restrictions and personal circumstances in the home pre-intervention. Across all change categories, mothers valued the changes they had made and expressed an intention to increase the changes. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Outcomes of Treatment; Child Health; Community Health Services; Smoking; Intervention; Diseases; Child Caregivers; Interviews; Formative Evaluation; Urban Youth; Program Implementation; Program Effectiveness; Program Evaluation; Counseling; Counseling Effectiveness; Motivation Techniques; Fidelity; Nurses; Health Promotion; Prevention; Health Behavior; Health Education; Public Health; Elementary School Students

Abstract:
Many children, including those with asthma, remain exposed to secondhand smoke. This manuscript evaluates the process of implementing a secondhand smoke reduction counseling intervention using motivational interviewing (MI) for caregivers of urban children with asthma, including reach, dose delivered, dose received and fidelity. Challenges, strategies and successes in applying MI are highlighted. Data for 140 children (3-10 years) enrolled in the School Based Asthma Therapy trial, randomized to the treatment condition and living with one or more smoker, were analyzed. Summary statistics describe the sample, process measures related to intervention implementation, and primary caregiver (PCG) satisfaction with the intervention. The full intervention was completed by 79% of PCGs, but only 17% of other smoking caregivers. Nearly all (98%) PCGs were satisfied with the care study nurses provided and felt the program might be helpful to others. Despite challenges, this intervention was feasible and well received reaching caregivers who were not actively seeking treatment for smoking cessation or secondhand smoke reduction. Anticipating the strategies required to implement such an intervention may help promote participant engagement and retention to enhance the program's ultimate success. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Health Insurance; Risk; Public Health; Diseases; Educational Facilities; Water; Child Health; Poverty; Health Conditions; Environmental Influences; Children; Hazardous Materials; Intervention; Enrollment; School Personnel; Special Education; Minority Group Students; Economically Disadvantaged; Low Income Groups; Lunch Programs; Breakfast Programs; Poisoning; Court Litigation; Pollution

Abstract:
States compel children to attend school; in fact, 98% of all school-age children attend schools--irrespective of conditions. Yet the environmental conditions of decayed facilities or facilities close to hazards can damage children's health and ability to learn. At the same time, it is well documented that healthy school facilities can help children learn, grow, and stay healthy. Today, justice for children can be achieved, but that demands swifter, surer progress on federal, state, and local fronts to ensure that all children have environmentally healthy schools that are clean and in good repair--and when children do not, that they have timely on-site public health interventions to help reduce exposures and have necessary support services. This is a profound pediatric health and environmental justice issue that must not be set aside. "Towards Healthy Schools 2015: Progress on America's Environmental Health Crisis for Children" is the third triennial state-by-state data and policy report on this topic since 2006. "Sick Schools" (2009) and before it "Lessons Learned" (2006) researched and assessed state-by-state data and policies on environmental conditions at schools and risks to children's health, compiling them into a single, unique resource that painted a deeply disturbing picture, in which vulnerable children endure unhealthy schools. "Towards Healthy Schools 2015" cites, as did the two previous reports, basic federal data for public schools, such as total number of buildings; total enrollment; total number of personnel; percentage of children with asthma; percentage of children without health insurance; total number of children receiving special education; total number of children of minority status; and more. New in this edition are three data sets used to illustrate additional risk factors not covered in the first two reports: (1) total number of children eligible for free or reduced price meals (a proxy for poverty status); (2) states requiring schools to keep asthma/allergy incident reports; and (3) states requiring inspection of school drinking water outlets for lead. Appended are: (1) State Data Table Footnotes; (2) US Environmental Protection Agency: Office of Children's Health; (3) US Department of Education: Green Ribbon Schools; (4) Map: School Equity Funding Lawsuits in the States; and (5) Coalition for Healthier Schools: Position Statement and Policy Recommendations. (Contains 30 endnotes.) [Additional funding was provided by the Wallace Genetic and the Marisla Foundation.] Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Food Service; Immunization Programs; Public Health; Food Standards; Etiology; Diseases; Disease Control; Intervention; Prevention; Web Sites; Databases; Hygiene; Risk; Safety; Certification

Abstract:
Background: The purpose of this study was to review documented outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness in schools, published in the last 10 years, to identify etiology, mode of transmission, the number of children affected, morbidity and mortality patterns, and interventions for control and prevention. Methods: Searches of electronic databases, public health publications, and federal, state, and provincial public health Web sites were completed. Results: Of the 121 outbreaks that met the inclusion criteria, 51% were bacterial, 40% viral, 7% were from "Cryptosporidium", and 2% from multiple organisms. Transmission routes recorded in 101 reports included foodborne (45%), person-to-person (16%), waterborne (12%), and animal contact (11%). Actions to control outbreaks included alerting medical and public health authorities or the community to the outbreak (13%), treating cases (12%), enhancing hand washing (11%), and increased vigilance during food preparation (8%). Recommendations to prevent future outbreaks were compared with previously published studies that demonstrated effectiveness. Conclusions: The risk of foodborne illness was reduced when food handlers practiced effective hand washing technique and received food safety training and certification. Student training programs on hand hygiene, enhanced cleaning and disinfection of the school, and hepatitis A vaccination were found effective. Children should be supervised on farm visits, hand washing strictly enforced, and food eaten in an area separated from the animals. Staff and students should have a positive, continuous communication with public health authorities including educational sessions and immediate reporting of possible outbreaks. (Contains 4 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Health Programs; Stakeholders; Public Health; Health Personnel; Change Agents; Focus Groups; Child Health; Qualitative Research; Interviews; Child Caregivers; Program Effectiveness; Access to Health Care; Developing Nations; Health Promotion; Nutrition; Community Health Services; Disease Control

Abstract:
The Nutrition and Malaria Control for Child Survival Project is a community-based growth promotion project that utilizes Community Health Workers (CHWs), referred to as Community Child Growth Promoters (CCGPs), as the principal change agents. The purpose of this study was to identify perceptions of key stakeholders about the project and the role of the CCGPs. The study employed qualitative methods: focus group discussions with CCGPs and care givers, exit interviews with care givers, and key informant interviews with health workers and CCGPs. All stakeholders interviewed expressed appreciation for the project and the role of the CCGPs. Respondents indicated that the project, through the CCGPs, had improved access to growth promotion services for children in their communities and made community mobilization for health programs easier. Caregivers appreciated the role of the CCGPS because they were their own people, who spoke their language, understood their situations better, treated them better and were readily accessible. CCGPs on their part believed they were playing a very important role in their communities and were happy with their prestigious position; though they hoped for incentives. This appraisal adds to the evidence on the important role played by CHWs in the developing world. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Program Effectiveness; State Agencies; School Business Officials; Food Service; School Districts; Food Standards; Nutrition; Financial Support; Program Implementation; Surveys; Public Agencies; Training; Administrative Policy; Compliance (Legal); Federal Regulation; Federal Legislation; Educational Finance; Safety Education; School Safety; Health Promotion; Child Health; Educational Administration

Abstract:
School foodservice directors (FSDs) and school business officials (SBOs) in public school districts with enrollments between 2,500 and 25,000 in the USDA Mid-Atlantic geographic region provided responses to a paper-and-pencil survey. The FSDs assessed the level of implementation of a mandated school food safety plan in their districts and perceived administrative support and also identified the district's food safety training efforts. These findings were compared with SBOs identified knowledge and levels of support for the district's child nutrition program. These variables along with FSD and SBO demographic data and district characteristics were analyzed to determine if significant differences existed in their perceptions. Responses were received from one third of the sample of Mid-Atlantic region districts' (N = 498) FSDs (n = 166) and a little less than 20% of the SBOs (n = 91). Study results found half of the FSDs and one third of SBOs identified the existence of a board-level district policy about food safety. Both groups rated highly the importance of such a policy, with means greater than 4.0 (FSDs, M = 4.37; SBOs, M = 4.176) on a 5-point scale ranging from 1 (very unimportant) to 5 (very important). The FSDs placed more importance on the need for policies to address foods from home than did SBOs, yet there were no significant differences in the perceptions of either FSDs or SBOs about the importance of district food safety policies from all respondents or between FSDs and SBOs from the same district. The FSDs reported food safety plans as fairly complete (M = 4.67) based on the presence of written standard operating procedures (SOPs) addressing specific items and recordkeeping documentation. However, less than one third of respondents documented the use of prerequisite programs. The majority did indicate compliance with semiannual inspections and posting of inspection reports. Close to half of the SBOs in the Mid-Atlantic region were unfamiliar with or not knowledgeable about the food safety component of the Reauthorization Act of 2004. Those SBOs with knowledge of the mandate reported learning of the requirements of the legislation through the school FSD, state agency, or other SBOs. Foodservice directors reported district administration was generally supportive for training but neutral on the importance of training for foodservice staff and offered minimal financial support for such training. FSDs and SBOs both identified most frequently that a state or federal agency mandate for requirement of food safety training would positively influence district administrative support and funding for this purpose. Findings from this study suggest greater need for the adoption of district board-level policies relating to safety of all foods served on school grounds, regardless of preparation location. This study also showed a need for districts to develop and adopt SOPs to guide procedures for food preparation, service, and sales district-wide and to provide training for the FSD and all school staff about food safety and changes in child nutrition program regulations. Several limitations were identified in this study including reliance on self-reported data and possible misrepresentation from the population, the local district's policy on survey participation, and method of distribution and collection of the paper survey. Recommendations for future studies include assessing the effectiveness of an educational module about child nutrition programs and food safety as a component of school administrator licensing or certification programs and effectiveness of child nutrition programs as related to funded and unfunded mandates recommended in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.] Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Physical Activities; Self Efficacy; Statistical Analysis; Grade 5; Eating Habits; Grade 4; Educational Resources; Physical Activity Level; Disadvantaged Schools; Barriers; Health Education; Nutrition Instruction; Nutrition; Food; Child Health; Health Promotion; Health Behavior; Public Health; Comparative Analysis; Pretests Posttests; Student Surveys; Control Groups; Experimental Groups; Intervention; Instructional Effectiveness; Program Effectiveness

Abstract:
Objective: Examine the effect of the "California Children's Power Play! Campaign's School Idea & Resource Kits" for fourth/fifth grades on the psychosocial determinants of fruit and vegetable (FV) intake and physical activity (PA). Methods: Randomized, controlled trial (n = 31 low-resource public schools; 1,154 children). Ten grade-specific, 50-minute nutrition and PA lessons over an 8-week period. Pre/post surveys measuring knowledge, outcome expectations, and self-efficacy (SE) were analyzed using analysis of covariance, controlling for baseline values; chi-square comparing positive/negative changes, adjusted for cluster design effects. Results: Intervention children made significant gains for FV knowledge (4 items, P less than 0.05 to P less than 0.001); positive outcome expectations (fifth grade only, P less than 0.001); asking/shopping and eating SE (P = 0.04 and P less than 0.001); PA knowledge (2 items, P less than 0.01 to P less than 0.001); outcome expectations (P less than 0.05); and support seeking SE (P = 0.04); but not SE to overcome barriers. Conclusions and Implications: The "Power Play! Campaign's School Idea & Resource Kits" improved the determinants of FV intake and PA. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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