ERIC Number: EJ1013495
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Jan
Pages: 7
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-4391
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Nutrition Education Intervention Improves Vegetable-Related Attitude, Self-Efficacy, Preference, and Knowledge of Fourth-Grade Students
Wall, Denise E.; Least, Christine; Gromis, Judy; Lohse, Barbara
Journal of School Health, v82 n1 p37-43 Jan 2012
Background: Impact of a classroom-based, standardized intervention to address limited vegetable consumption of fourth graders was assessed. Methods: A 4-lesson, vegetable-focused intervention, revised from extant materials was repurposed for Pennsylvania fourth graders with lessons aligned with state academic standards. A reliability-tested survey was modified, then examined for face and content validity and test-retest reliability. Lessons and evaluation materials were modified through an iterative testing process with educator feedback. A nonequivalent control group design was stratified by local Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) partnering organizations with random assignment of participating elementary schools as control (N = 68) or intervention (N = 72) treatments. Independent t-tests compared control and intervention group changes. A mixed effects model was created to account for classroom effects from the nested sampling method of selecting classrooms within SNAP-Ed partnering organizations. General linear model univariate analyses of variance were conducted to assess intervention effects considering gender, and food preparation/cooking experience. Results: During a 3- to 5-week time frame, 57 intervention classrooms (N = 1047 students) and 51 control classrooms (N = 890) completed pre- and post-testing. Intervention students improved in vegetable-related attitude, self-efficacy, preference, and knowledge scores (p less than 0.001). For example, intervention vegetable preference increased 1.56 plus or minus 5.80 points; control group mean increase was only 0.08 plus or minus 4.82 points. Group differences in score changes were not affected by gender or interactions between gender and food preparation/cooking experience with family. Conclusions: A defined intervention delivered in a SNAP-Ed setting can positively impact mediators associated with vegetable intake for fourth-grade students. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)
Descriptors: Intervention, Grade 4, Nutrition, Nutrition Instruction, Academic Standards, State Standards, Student Surveys, Partnerships in Education, Control Groups, Experimental Groups, Statistical Analysis, Gender Differences, Student Attitudes, Measures (Individuals), Models, Eating Habits, Dietetics, Elementary School Students, Comparative Analysis, Self Efficacy
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Grade 4; Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Pennsylvania
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A