An Evaluation of EarthFriends: Improving Healthful Eating and Creating Gardeners, Chefs, and...
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University of Maryland extension educators collaborated with the Baltimore County Department of Health and local growers to provide 1-day farmers’ markets in WIC clinic park- ing lots on the day fruit and vegetable checks were distrib- uted. Eleven 1-day markets have occurred since 2005. WIC participants experienced shopping in a farmers’ market, and the increased access allowed them to more easily redeem their checks. Extension educators guided WIC participants with how to shop at farmers’ markets (www.tinyurl.com/ 1farmmkt), know what is in season (www.tinyurl.com/ 1newharvest), and choose, store, and prepare fresh produce (www.tinyurl.com/1storage; www.tinyurl.com/1fvrecipes). Evaluation: University of Maryland extension educators observed the 1-day WIC farmers’ markets, reviewed fruit and vegetable check distribution, and recorded the reve- nues of participating local growers. Conclusions and Implications: WIC participants ex- perienced shopping in a farmers’ market. Increased farmers’ market participation rates indicate that WIC participants selected more fresh produce over baseline. Local growers increased their revenues by approximately $700 to $1,000 during each of the 1-day WIC farmers’ markets. Funding: University of Maryland Extension and Balti- more County Health Department shared material costs; MC reports a potential conflict of interest as she is affiliated with the University of Maryland Extension, and ME re- ports a potential conflict of interest as he is affiliated with the Baltimore County Health Department. O7 An Evaluation of EarthFriends: Improving Healthful Eating and Creating Gardeners, Chefs, and Vegetable Eaters Kathleen Porter, MS, RD, [email protected], Teachers College Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street, Box 137, New York, NY 10027; Lauren Thomas; Diane Blahut; Pamela Koch, EdD, RD; Isobel Contento, PhD Objective: To evaluate the effect of EarthFriends on stu- dents' vegetable, fruit, bean, and whole grain consumption and their perceptions about being gardeners, chefs, and vegetable eaters. Design, Setting and Participants: Pre-post survey measuring mediators and targeted behavior with post- only, structured, individual interviews. The setting was a summer camp program with predominantly Hispanic and black second and third graders (n ¼ 147); 62 were in- terviewed. Intervention: Five lessons in which students grew vege- tables, investigated various parts of plants, and prepared and ate plant-based snacks. Outcome Measures and Analysis: The pre-post survey measured behaviors and theory-based motivational media- tors of outcome expectations, social norms, and self-effi- cacy in 3 domains: growing food, cooking, and eating. Independent t tests determined pre- and posttest differ- ences, with sex as a moderator. The interviews asked stu- dents to state whether they thought of themselves as gardeners, chefs, and vegetable eaters and explain their views. Interviewers took detailed notes, and responses were coded for emerging themes. Results: The pre-post survey revealed significant positive changes on the cooking domain for boys (P ¼ .035). Stu- dents' self-efficacy about making bean salad (P ¼ .008), out- come expectations about being a chef (P ¼ .026), and behaviors of eating asparagus (P ¼ .04) and quinoa (P ¼ .001) also increased. The interviews revealed 7 themes around why students perceive themselves as gardeners, chefs, and vegetable eaters: experience, enjoyment, out- come expectations, behavioral capability, consequences, and environment. Conclusions and Implications: Findings from this study indicate that experiences involving growing food, learning about plants, and preparing and eating plant- based snacks improved some motivational mediators and targeted behaviors. The themes from the interviews give insight into children's thinking about their engaging in positive food-related behaviors. Funding: None. O8 Backyard Beginnings: Helping You Know How to Grow Karla Case, RD, [email protected], University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service, 2011 Fairgrounds Road, Casper, WY 82604 Objective: The Backyard Beginnings Program was devel- oped to provide much-needed information and skills for the public regarding local foods, sustainability, and basic gardening. Program objectives were to (1) provide opportu- nities for lifelong skills and knowledge; (2) create a higher level of confidence in participant abilities; (3) provide an understanding of the link between healthy lifestyles and gardening; and (4) establish collaborations between nutri- tion educators and agriculture experts to enhance the learning experience. Use of Theory or Research: Adult learning theory, dia- logue approach: Learners are invited to actively engage with the content being learned rather than being depen- dent on the educator for learning. Target Audience: Natrona County citizens with an in- terest in vegetable gardening. Description: In recent years, interest in vegetable garden- ing has increased dramatically. With a combination of classroom and outdoor hands-on activities, participants in this program were able to increase their knowledge, practice what they learned, and most important, pass the information on to their families. Evaluation: Pre- and postprogram questionnaires were administered to track increase in knowledge. Preprogram questionnaires reflected an average score of 49% on the test section, whereas postprogram questionnaires re- flected an average score of 97%. Confidence levels also increased significantly. At the beginning of the program, only 52% indicated confidence in their gardening abil- ity. After the first 4 classes, that number increased to 95%. O6 (continued) Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior Volume 43, Number 4S1, 2011 Oral Abstracts S3 Continued on page S4
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Transcript of An Evaluation of EarthFriends: Improving Healthful Eating and Creating Gardeners, Chefs, and...
O6 (continued)
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior � Volume 43, Number 4S1, 2011 Oral Abstracts S3
University of Maryland extension educators collaboratedwith the Baltimore County Department of Health and localgrowers toprovide1-day farmers’markets inWICclinicpark-ing lots on the day fruit and vegetable checks were distrib-uted. Eleven 1-day markets have occurred since 2005. WICparticipants experienced shopping in a farmers’ market,and the increased access allowed themtomore easily redeemtheir checks. Extension educators guided WIC participantswith how to shop at farmers’ markets (www.tinyurl.com/1farmmkt), know what is in season (www.tinyurl.com/1newharvest), and choose, store, and prepare fresh produce(www.tinyurl.com/1storage; www.tinyurl.com/1fvrecipes).Evaluation: University of Maryland extension educatorsobserved the 1-day WIC farmers’ markets, reviewed fruitand vegetable check distribution, and recorded the reve-nues of participating local growers.Conclusions and Implications: WIC participants ex-perienced shopping in a farmers’ market. Increasedfarmers’ market participation rates indicate that WICparticipants selected more fresh produce over baseline.Local growers increased their revenues by approximately$700 to $1,000 during each of the 1-day WIC farmers’markets.Funding: University of Maryland Extension and Balti-more County Health Department shared material costs;MC reports a potential conflict of interest as she is affiliatedwith the University of Maryland Extension, and ME re-ports a potential conflict of interest as he is affiliatedwith the Baltimore County Health Department.
Continued on page S4
O7 An Evaluation of EarthFriends: ImprovingHealthful Eating and Creating Gardeners,Chefs, and Vegetable EatersKathleen Porter, MS, RD, [email protected], TeachersCollege Columbia University, 525West 120th Street, Box137, New York, NY 10027; Lauren Thomas; Diane Blahut;Pamela Koch, EdD, RD; Isobel Contento, PhD
Objective: To evaluate the effect of EarthFriends on stu-dents' vegetable, fruit, bean, and whole grain consumptionand their perceptions about being gardeners, chefs, andvegetable eaters.Design, Setting and Participants: Pre-post surveymeasuring mediators and targeted behavior with post-only, structured, individual interviews. The setting wasa summer camp program with predominantly Hispanicand black second and third graders (n ¼ 147); 62 were in-terviewed.Intervention: Five lessons in which students grew vege-tables, investigated various parts of plants, and preparedand ate plant-based snacks.Outcome Measures and Analysis: The pre-post surveymeasured behaviors and theory-basedmotivational media-tors of outcome expectations, social norms, and self-effi-cacy in 3 domains: growing food, cooking, and eating.Independent t tests determined pre- and posttest differ-ences, with sex as a moderator. The interviews asked stu-dents to state whether they thought of themselves as
gardeners, chefs, and vegetable eaters and explain theirviews. Interviewers took detailed notes, and responseswere coded for emerging themes.Results: The pre-post survey revealed significant positivechanges on the cooking domain for boys (P ¼ .035). Stu-dents' self-efficacy aboutmaking bean salad (P¼ .008), out-come expectations about being a chef (P ¼ .026), andbehaviors of eating asparagus (P ¼ .04) and quinoa (P ¼.001) also increased. The interviews revealed 7 themesaround why students perceive themselves as gardeners,chefs, and vegetable eaters: experience, enjoyment, out-come expectations, behavioral capability, consequences,and environment.Conclusions and Implications: Findings from thisstudy indicate that experiences involving growing food,learning about plants, and preparing and eating plant-based snacks improved some motivational mediators andtargeted behaviors. The themes from the interviews giveinsight into children's thinking about their engaging inpositive food-related behaviors.Funding: None.
O8 Backyard Beginnings: Helping You KnowHow to GrowKarla Case, RD, [email protected], Universityof Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service, 2011Fairgrounds Road, Casper, WY 82604
Objective: The Backyard Beginnings Program was devel-oped to provide much-needed information and skills forthe public regarding local foods, sustainability, and basicgardening. Program objectives were to (1) provide opportu-nities for lifelong skills and knowledge; (2) create a higherlevel of confidence in participant abilities; (3) provide anunderstanding of the link between healthy lifestyles andgardening; and (4) establish collaborations between nutri-tion educators and agriculture experts to enhance thelearning experience.Use of Theory or Research: Adult learning theory, dia-logue approach: Learners are invited to actively engagewith the content being learned rather than being depen-dent on the educator for learning.Target Audience: Natrona County citizens with an in-terest in vegetable gardening.Description: In recent years, interest in vegetable garden-ing has increased dramatically. With a combination ofclassroom and outdoor hands-on activities, participantsin this program were able to increase their knowledge,practice what they learned, and most important, pass theinformation on to their families.Evaluation: Pre- and postprogram questionnaires wereadministered to track increase in knowledge. Preprogramquestionnaires reflected an average score of 49% on thetest section, whereas postprogram questionnaires re-flected an average score of 97%. Confidence levels alsoincreased significantly. At the beginning of the program,only 52% indicated confidence in their gardening abil-ity. After the first 4 classes, that number increased to95%.
