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Factors Leading to Implementing Healthy Eating Habits in a School Environment

Factors Leading to Implementing Healthy Eating Habits in a School Environment. Student Name Social Science 193 Spring 2008 Dr. Jeanett Castellanos. Background Information. America is experiencing malnutrition, low vitamin intake and high disease- including obesity.

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Factors Leading to Implementing Healthy Eating Habits in a School Environment

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  1. Factors Leading to Implementing Healthy Eating Habits in a School Environment Student Name Social Science 193 Spring 2008 Dr. Jeanett Castellanos

  2. Background Information America is experiencing malnutrition, low vitamin intake and high disease- including obesity. Children are experiencing poor healthy habits such as low exercise and poor nutrition that will be present in adulthood. Obesity is a leading health issue among children in the U.S. today. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007

  3. Source: www.obesityinamerica.org

  4. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2005

  5. Problem Statement • Home: • Children are eating poorly and not seeing the value of nutrition • Families are not offering a healthy lifestyle habit to children • School: • Schools have vending machines that promote poor eating habits • School food service programs need improvement to offer more balanced meals

  6. Purpose of Study • To evaluate student nutrition habits in the lunchroom • To examine the implementation of healthy eating habit in different communities • To examine the benefits of a currently implemented program

  7. Theoretical Framework:Social Cognitive Theory, 1988 Source: Pajares (2002). Overview of social cognitive theory and of self-efficacy.

  8. Literature Review:Environmental Influences • Student Behavior: • Repeated exposure to fruits and vegetables atschoolincrease in consumption and liking (Rhee, 2008) • Program Implementation: • Schools have been identified as excellent environments for prevention efforts to occur(Bloom-hoffman, 2008)

  9. Literature Review:Personal Factors • Student Behavior: • Fruits, • Vegetables (Blom-hoffman, 2008) • Program Implementation: • Increase preference and liking through familiarity of fruits and vegetables (Wardle, Herrera, Cooke & Gibson, 2003)

  10. Literature Review:Behavioral Factors • Student Behavior: • Change in attitudes and perceptions related to healthy foods(Borra, Kelly, Sheirreffs, Nerville, and Geiger, 2003) • Program Implementation: • Social modeling by teachers and peers, encouragement from school food service staff (Bloom-hoffman, 2008)

  11. Gaps in Literature • Limited studies on the impact of utilizing fruits and vegetables in a school environment • Limited statistics on the evaluation of nutrition-based programs at schools • Lack of articles on children’s behaviors at lunchrooms

  12. Initial Model

  13. Methodology • Research Design: • Qualitative, ethnographic study • Data Collections: • Field observations and field notes • Semi structured and unstructured interviews • Survey Questionnaire • Mappings • Matrices

  14. Sites • President Elementary School of Riverside Unified School District • Bay Elementary School of Santa Ana Unified School District • The Grain Project in Santa Ana

  15. Mapping

  16. Matrix

  17. Participants • Program Implementation: • 10 Parent Teacher Association (PTA) members from President Elementary School • Latina • 8/10 eligible for free/reduced meals • 2 Nutrition service directors, 2 nutrition specialists, board director of The Grain Project • Student Behavior: • President Elementary School students (Kindergarten to 6th grade) at a lunchroom • About 820 students • 54% eligible for free/reduced meals

  18. Data Analysis • Extensive review of field notes • Revisiting the research questions • Sorting and coding through highlighting, circling, and underlining • Identifying themes, sub-themes and variables • Triangulation • Peer validation to reinforce validity • Quotes and themes

  19. Results:Environmental Influences- Program Implementation • Farmer’s Market Salad Bar Program • “The Farmers’ Market Salad Bar Program seeks to increase consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables among students by purchasing directly from local farmers and preparing fresh food on a daily basis” - Activist #1, Interview

  20. Results:Environmental Influences- Program Implementation

  21. Results:Environmental Influences- Program Implementation • #8: It is essential that the fruits and vegetables provided by the lunch program be fresh and harvested the same week. • #10: It is important to see a featured item in the menu weekly. • #11: It is important that the school offers an all-you-can-eat salad bar as part of the lunch program.

  22. Results:Environmental Influences- Program Implementation • Harvest of the Month Program • “Harvest of the Month provides the opportunity for collaboration among educators, child nutrition staff, school administrators, students and parents access to and preference for fruits and vegetables” - Activist #2, Presentation

  23. Results:Environmental Influences- Program Implementation

  24. Results:Environmental Influences- Program Implementation • Why is Farmer’s Market Salad Bar Program Better? • Use of locally grown fruits and vegetables harvested in the same week • Actual consumption of fruits and vegetables • The message through food presentation and taste testings not affectively delivered to parents and children

  25. Results:Social Factors- Benefits • “Thank you for worrying about the food of the children” -Parent of President Elementary School, Latina • “My daughter complained why they don’t eat salad at school”- Parent of Bay Elementary School, Caucasian

  26. Results:Personal Factor- Children’s Behvaiors • About 1/3 of students choose to eat salad bar lunch

  27. Results:Personal Factors- Children’s Behaviors • “I eat broiled eggs at home too. Sometimes my mommy makes three for me. They’re my favorite.” - 2nd grade, Latina • “Vegetables are good for you.”- 2nd grade, Latina • “Carrots are my favorite ‘cause they’re juicy.” - 1st grade, African American

  28. Final Model

  29. Discussion • “Frequent exposure to fruits and vegetables and making them more easily accessible can result in increased consumption, liking, and preference for that food” (Rhee, 2008) • “Positive increases in fruits and vegetable consumption through social modeling by peers, teachers, encouragement from school food service staff” (Blom-Hoffman, 2008)

  30. Limitations of Design • Limited access to children and school • Not able to measure children’s behaviors and outcomes before and after a nutrition progmra has been implemented • Language barrier

  31. Implications • Practice: • Hands-on activities provided at schools • Incorporate fruits and vegetables learned in school to lunch menu • Research: • Socioeconomic and demographic factors of families • Roles of parents on children • Better tracking of students to measure the possible changes on student behaviors

  32. Acknowledgements • Dr. Castellanos • Social Science 193 Class • The Grain Project • President Elementary School • Bay Elementary School • Riverside Unified School District Nutrition Services • Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District nutrition directors • Santa Ana Unified School District Nutrition Services • Magnolia School District staffs • Food 4 Thought of SAUSD

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