School-based gardening and food programs may support healthier food attitudes later in life
IMAGE:
STUDY OF THE FRESHFARMS FOODPRINTS PROGRAM SUGGESTS THAT KID WHO LEARN TO GROW, HARVEST AND PREPARE FOOD IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SHOW LASTING HEALTHY FOOD ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS LATER IN LIFE.
view moreCREDIT: FRESHFARMS FOODPRINTS/KZT PHOTOGRAPHY
WASHINGTON (Jan. 8, 2024)—A new study suggests that kids who learn to grow, harvest and prepare food in elementary school show lasting healthy food attitudes and behaviors years later.
Researchers at the George Washington University published the study in the January issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. It is one of the first to show that participation in a hands-on food education program in elementary school may lead to sustained changes in dietary behavior later in life.
“Kids who grow vegetables in a school garden and learn how to prepare meals seem to show a lasting desire for fresh, healthy food as young adults,” said lead author Christine St. Pierre, a PhD candidate and researcher at the GW Milken Institute School of Public Health. “The hope is that such programs could help teens and young adults make better food choices as they grow older.”
The GW research team conducted focus groups to ask current elementary students and those who had aged out of such programs about their program experiences, dietary habits and attitudes. They found that both current and former participants in the FRESHFARM FoodPrints program commonly said the program helped them enjoy fresh food and build fresh food preparation skills.
Older alumni of the program said they were more open to trying new foods and had more confidence in their ability to make informed food choices.
The researchers hope such programs can be one strategy to improve diet quality in young adults. According to the Dietary Guidelines, dietary intake of young adults falls short of the recommendations for good health. In addition, the CDC says nearly 42% of adults aged 20 and older have obesity and are at risk for a raft of serious health problems.
Programs that encourage healthy food habits like eating more fruits and vegetables can lead to better health outcomes throughout the life course, St. Pierre said.
St. Pierre cautions that participants in the focus groups may be motivated to emphasize positive experiences and that may bias the results. She says this study’s findings must be verified by additional research.
The study, “Participant Perspectives on the Impact of a School-Based, Experiential Food Education Program Across Childhood, Adolescence and Young Adulthood,” was published in the January issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior by St. Pierre, April Sokalsky and senior author Jennifer Sacheck, who is the Chair of the Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences at the GW Milken Institute School of Public Health. The research was funded by FRESHFARM as part of their program evaluation efforts.
St. Pierre has worked as an evaluation consultant for FRESHFARM separately from this research. The FRESHFARM FoodPrints program embeds comprehensive food education in public elementary schools with the goal of improving health and academic outcomes for children and families. The authors affirm FRESHFARM had no role in the design of the study, data analysis or approval of the manuscript.
-GW-
JOURNAL
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
SUBJECT OF RESEARCH
People
ARTICLE TITLE
Partici[pant Perspectives on the Impact of a School-Based Experiential Food Education Program Across Childhood, Adolescence and Young Adulthood
ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE
5-Jan-2024
Participants in school-based gardening and food programs benefit from lasting impacts on dietary behaviors
Thousands of students have successfully participated in the FRESHFARM FoodPrints program over the past 15 years, according to a new study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
AUDIO:
CHRISTINE ST. PIERRE, MPH, RD, PRESENTS THE RESULTS OF A NEW STUDY TO DETERMINE THE IMPACT ON DIETARY BEHAVIORS ON CURRENT AND FORMER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN FRESHFARM FOODPRINTS’ SCHOOL-BASED GARDENING AND FOOD EDUCATION CLASSES OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS. ANALYSIS REVEALED HOW THIS EARLY LEARNING POSITIVELY INFLUENCED FOOD DECISIONS AS CHILDREN GREW OLDER, EXTENDING INTO ADULTHOOD.
view moreCREDIT: JOURNAL OF NUTRITION EDUCATION AND BEHAVIOR
Philadelphia, January 8, 2024 – To encourage fruit and vegetable consumption among youth, experiential food education programs such as gardening and cooking lessons have increased across both community and school settings. A recent research article in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, published by Elsevier, revealed how this early learning positively influenced food decisions as children grew older.
Lead study author Christine St. Pierre, MPH, RD, Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, explained, “While food education programs are evaluated, much of the evidence of program impact comes from evaluations less than a year after the class, and little is known about the enduring impact through childhood and into adulthood."
This study explored the experiences of current and alumni participants of the FRESHFARM FoodPrints food education program, which is embedded in more than 20 elementary schools within a large urban public school district in the eastern United States. The program's first school partnership was established nearly 15 years ago, and the oldest alumni participants are now young adults. A network of alumni has been established and maintained as the program has grown, providing a unique opportunity to gain insight into the experiences of both current participants and those who have aged out of the program.
Researchers observed classes and interviewed program coaches and staff to prepare for focus group sessions. Focus groups were recruited among current and alumni students. Questions were designed to gain insights into the typical participant experience, current nutrition behaviors, food environment, and impression of the FoodPrints program.
Nine emergent themes were identified in three categories of impact: immediate, beyond the classroom, and sustained. The immediate impact of the programs included enjoyment of food experiences, hands-on learning of food skills, and connection with peers through a shared experience. Beyond the classroom experience, the programs shifted individual and family food choices and increased involvement of students in family food practices and interest in fresh food options at school. Appreciation for fresh food, openness to trying new foods, and confidence in making food decisions were the sustained benefits of the programs.
St. Pierre commented, "While we recognize the demands on education resources and the precious time of teachers, findings in this study suggest that investment in experiential food education in elementary school can provide an important contribution to the continuation of healthy dietary behaviors as children grow up.”
JOURNAL
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
METHOD OF RESEARCH
Observational study
SUBJECT OF RESEARCH
People
ARTICLE TITLE
Participant Perspectives on the Impact of a School-Based, Experiential Food Education Program Across Childhood, Adolescence, and Young Adulthood
ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE
5-Jan-2024
COI STATEMENT
Christine St. Pierre has worked as an evaluation consultant for FRESHFARM separately from this research. FRESHFARM had no role in the design of this study, data analysis, or preparation and approval of the manuscript.
No comments:
Post a Comment