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Title: Evaluating the impact of the Smart Bodies School-Based Intervention Program to increase fruit and vegetable consumption in elementary school students

Author
item SILVERMAN, L - LOUISIANA STATE UNIV
item HOLSTON, D - LOUISIANA STATE UNIV
item TUURI, G - LOUISIANA STATE UNIV
item SOLMON, M - LOUISIANA STATE UNIV
item MURPHY, E - LA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION

Submitted to: Journal Of The American Dietetic Association
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/25/2007
Publication Date: 8/1/2007
Citation: Silverman, L., Holston, D.M., Tuuri, G., Solmon, M. Murphy, E. 2007. Evaluating the impact of the Smart Bodies school-based intervention program to increase fruit and vegetable consumption in elementary school students [abstract]. Journal of The American Dietetic Association. 107(8):A-89.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Our purpose was to evaluate the impact of a comprehensive school-based nutrition intervention on nutrition knowledge, self-reported intakes of fruits and vegetables, opinions, outcome expectations, social norms, and self-efficacy related to fruit and vegetables among elementary school children. Evidence suggests that children are not consuming adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables, and schools can play an important role in helping children establish healthy eating habits. This investigation examined the impact of a 12-week school-based intervention program called Smart Bodies (SB) on increasing children's knowledge and acceptance of fruits and vegetables. Eighteen public elementary schools were pair-matched and randomly assigned to an intervention or control group. Curriculum materials included nutrition-related games, videos, books, and classroom tracking posters. Six hundred forty-one ethnically diverse 4th and 5th grade students (77,4% Black, 13.6% White, 3.7% Asian, 2.0% Hispanic and 3.3% multi-ethnic) completed surveys to evaluate nutrition knowledge, fruit and vegetable intake, opinions, self-efficacy, social norms, and outcome expectations related to fruit and vegetable consumption before and after participating in the intervention. Factor analysis determined the number and nature of underlying factors affecting the relationship between each section of variables and mixed model analysis of variance examined differences between groups. Children who participated in SB reported greater intakes of fruits and fruit juice (p=.01), but consumption of vegetables did not differ. Fifth grade children scored higher than fourth graders in nutrition knowledge (p=.00). Fifth graders also reported greater intakes of fruit and fruit juice (p=.01) and higher self-efficacy to choose fruit over a sugary snack (p=.01). These results suggest that multi-component, school-based nutrition interventions such as the SB program can be effective in increasing children’s intake of fruit and fruit juice and improving their self-efficacy to consume these items.