 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Frances M Todd, RN BA, Department of Nursing, University of Vermont, 85 South Prospect St., Burlington, VT 05401, 1-802-644-5350, ftodd@mvphealthcare.com, Dorigen B Keeney, MS, RD, Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger, 180 Flynn Ave., Burlington, VT 05401, and Marcia L Cox, BSN, MSA, Health Office, Lamoille Union Middle School/High School, 726 Rt 15 West, Hyde Park, VT 05655.
Healthy People 2010 cites overweight and obesity as a public health priority. A goal of Healthy Vermonters 2010 is to reduce the percentage of youth (grades 8-12) who are obese or overweight. A pilot project (“Drink Well”) was implemented in November 2002 at a middle school in Hyde Park, Vermont to address this need. Goals included creating, implementing and evaluating an educational program on nutrition based on interaction and health activism between the student, school, parents and community to increase healthy food choices among adolescents. This pilot project tested the effectiveness of the conceptual framework, tools and activities utilized to effect a change in food selection behavior, and helped identify behavior change activities for adolescents. Project interventions consisted of student participation in a health class curriculum based on the “Teens Eating for Energy at School” (TEENS) educational model. The students were placed into groups and asked to perform the following activities: 1) survey teachers on dietary habits, 2) interview community vendors, 3) interview local healthcare institutions, 4) learn label reading, 5) discuss media impact on nutrition, 6) take educational interactive packets home for parent participation, 7) quantify fat and sugar content, 8) work with the school cafeteria on food presentation and nutrition education, and 9) educate peers through competition based activities. Evaluation of the effectiveness of interventions was accomplished through pre-surveys and food logs, one-week and three-month post-surveys and food logs, and verbal feedback. Preliminary data is promising but post-intervention data is still pending in February 2003.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Obesity, Adolescent Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.