Community Involvement: A Necessary Component of Nutrition Education in the Schools

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                The USDA’s Child Nutrition Programs, including the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, the Summer Food Service Program, the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, and the Special Milk Program have been integral components of schools across the nation.  These programs provide monetary reimbursements to schools for providing healthy meals that meet specified nutrition guidelines.  The reimbursements that enable free or reduced lunches for eligible students are vital to the functioning of many low-income schools.
 
                These programs are not without complications, as they require participating schools to have a school wellness policy and associated nutrition education goals.  Schools are tasked with not only feeding their students qualifying meals, they are challenged to find the time and resources to provide nutrition education that meets their stated goals.  Unfortunately, 1 in 3 school districts report inadequate resources, knowledge, and staff to complete such activities.

                The solution to the problem lies in community involvement.  Community organizations with the funding and ability to develop targeted nutrition education programs with consistent, evidence-based messages can help meet the nutrition goals of schools’ wellness policies.  Once such example led to the development of Food and Fun for Everyone, a program designed by registered dietitians and presented by trained paraprofessionals for low-income third and fourth grade students.  The program targeted the development of specific behaviors—consuming fruit, green and orange vegetables, whole grains, and dairy foods; eating breakfast; making healthful beverage choices; improving hand washing practices; and participating in physical activity.  Lessons included nutrition content, physical activity, and experiential nutrition activities in which content was applied.

                Targeted behaviors were assessed before and after the program was implemented.  After participating in the program, students reported performing several behaviors more frequently than before the program, including consumption of fruits, green and orange vegetables, whole grains, dairy foods, and water, as well as increased hand washing before eating.  Improvement in breakfast consumption and physical activity were not reported, as these behaviors were performed frequently prior to program implementation.  Overall, the use of community organizations for nutrition education programs was an effective and cost-efficient means of fulfilling required wellness policy goals and improving student’s nutrition-related behaviors.

LH

Hildebrand, D., Jacob, T., & Garrard-Foster, D. (2012). Food and Fun for Everyone: A Community Nutrition Education Program for Third- and Fourth-Grade Students Suitable for School Wellness Programs. Journal Of Nutrition Education And Behavior, 44(1), 93-95. doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2011.03.138

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