Aim: This study aims to evaluate the impact of a novel multicomponent nutrition education program (United for Healthier Kids; U4HK) on the diet consumed during school lunch among preschool children. Methods: The program comprised four tools: hero plates, hero content, hero menus, and hero books and stickers. The program was implemented for 16…

The education and training of future food and nutrition professionals plays a vital role in preparation for managing complex food and nutrition problems. Within food systems, food???? and nutrition professionals provide nutrition education to individuals and families and work to ensure? ?access???? to nutritious and culturally significant foods.…

Emerging research indicates that chronic illnesses exacerbated by obesity begin in childhood. While research continues to show that consumption of fruits and vegetables can lower rates of obesity, children in the United States often fall short of consuming the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables. Youth nutrition education and cooking…

Local school wellness policies (i.e., wellness policies) provide an opportunity to create and support a healthy school environment, promote student health, and reduce childhood obesity. Because they are required for all school districts participating in the federal Child Nutrition Programs including the National School Lunch Program and the School…

Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this investigation was to complete a formal evaluation of a project that provided specialized training for school nutrition (SN) administrators and managers on meeting children's special dietary needs in the school setting. Methods: The training was provided as part of the "Eating Good and Moving Like We…

MyPlate, the icon and multimodal communication plan developed for the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), provides an opportunity to consider new approaches to evaluating the effectiveness of communication initiatives. A review of indicators used in assessments for previous DGA communication initiatives finds gaps in accounting for…

Objective: Examine the impact of providing yogurt to women enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Design: Randomized, controlled intervention trial. Setting: Two California WIC local agency sites. Participants: 511 pregnant, breast-feeding, or postpartum women. Intervention: Substitution of…

Given the recent rise in childhood obesity, the School Breakfast Program (SBP) and National School Lunch Program (NSLP) have received renewed attention. Using panel data on more than 13,500 primary school students, we assess the relationship between SBP and NSLP participation and (relatively) long-run measures of child weight. After documenting a…

Objective: This paper describes the design and findings of a pilot "Mothers In Motion" (P-"MIM") program. Design: A randomized controlled trial that collected data via telephone interviews and finger stick at 3 time points: baseline and 2 and 8 months post-intervention. Setting: Three Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for…

Examines formative, process, and intermediate outcome results of a school-based project linked to the National 5 A Day for Better Health campaign to increase fruit and vegetable consumption. Three elementary schools conducted the local campaign. Activity logs, redeemed coupons, and focus groups indicated that the project was implemented as planned…

This study develops estimates of the efficacy of school nutrition programs in improving a broad range of dietary outcomes by comparing the nutritional status of students and their families during the school year with the status when school is out. The study finds evidence that children who have a School Breakfast Program (SBP) available consume a…

In 1995 the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) developed the Health School Menus Initiative (HSMI) to ensure that school age children are provided meals that are consistent with dietary guidelines and current nutrition information. The USDA developed review instruments to evaluate the implementation of the HSMI nationwide. These…

Describes an affective-based nutrition education program that promotes improvement of attitudes about nutrition and health as a means of improving dietary behavior. Content emphasizes nutrients of particular concern for women during childbearing years. Stability of instruments used in the program was demonstrated. (CS)

Reports on the development and evaluation of an inservice nutrition education workshop on fast foods, vegetarianism, weight control, and food exchanges. (DC)

Describes the results of a long-term behavioral/nutritional weight loss program, Eating Slim (ES) involving 36 trained therapists and 696 of 1,040 subjects who completed the program. Treatment losses in ES are comparable to those from other studies demonstrating that trained home economists can use behavioral techniques. (DS)