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HOPE2 Nutrition-focused Policy/Curricula Improve Consumption of Nutritious Foods and Dietetic Practices in Elementary Schools

2013; Elsevier BV; Volume: 45; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.jneb.2013.04.166

1878-2620

Danielle Hollar, Michelle Lombardo, Caitlin Heitz, T. Lucas Hollar,

Diverse Educational Innovations Studies

To increase the consumption of nutrient-rich foods in school settings. Childhood obesity continues to be a major clinical and public health issue. Schools provide ideal settings to implement obesity prevention strategies to large and diverse sets of children. Healthier Options for People through Extension (HOPE)2 is a 4-year (2009-2012), 6-state (AR,FL,LA,MI,MS,NM) prevention intervention with policy, nutrition, and physical activity components in an elementary school setting targeting ethnically diverse children in Kindergarten-5th grade. Elementary school Foodservice (FS) Managers completed FS Surveys fall/baseline and spring/follow-up, assessing child consumption of nutrient-dense foods (targeted HOPE2 interventions in meals and curricula), use of federal feeding/nutrition programs, and collaborations with outside organizations in support of policy changes. 38 FS Managers participated in 2010-2011 data collection. Results (2010-2011) of 38 FS respondents show schools serve nutrient-rich foods as part of government-funded programs to model educational activities, such as skinless meats (94.7% 2010; 97.4% 2011), sweet potatoes (100.0% 2010; 97.4% 2011), and spinach (94.7% 2010; 100.0% 2011). Eighty percent agreed/strongly agreed students enjoy and consume fruits/fruit juice, skim/reduced milk, and whole grains. Nutrient-rich sweet potatoes, legumes, and spinach were least liked foods at baseline; but were more strongly preferred by follow-up (increases by 13.5%, 20.0%, and 12.5%, respectively; increase in preference for spinach significant at.05 level). HOPE2 shows positive effects of nutrition components of obesity interventions in elementary schools resulting from policies and curricula that support such efforts – namely, increases in consumption by children and menuing of items as part of government feeding programs.