The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #70329

Sonya J. Jones, Nutrition, University of Tennessee, 1215 Cumberland Ave, Room 229, Department of Nutrition, Knoxville, TN 37966-1920, 865-974-6250, sonyaj@utk.edu and Sonia Hardin, RN, Coordinated School Health Program, Monroe County Schools, 205 Oak Grove Road, Madisonville, TN 37354.

Approximately 52% of Monroe County children in grades 4, 8 and 10 are at risk of or overweight. Therefore, it is estimated that more half of Monroe County children are increased risk for early onset type II diabetes and heart disease risk factors. Nationally, school-based nutrition interventions have not been successful in reducing the prevalence of overweight in children. Partnership with youth is a key component missing from many school-based interventions, and this presentation will provide a model for partnering with youth to address school nutrition issues. “Youth Can!” is a new model that encourages youth to critically examine the school food environment and their personal nutrition choices. In Monroe County, TN, 4th grade children in 2 schools are using participatory research strategies, such as social mapping, photo voice and consensus-building group interviews to document nutrition issues related to excess weight gain in their schools. The “Youth Can!” planning teams (children who participated in research) will use the data they have gathered to design an intervention in their schools based on social cognitive theory’s three main constructs, environment, behavior and cognition. Specifically, youth will work in partnership to identify strategies to change unhealthy aspects of the school nutrition environment about which youth are concerned, nutrition behavior of peers and the way that peers make decisions about the foods they eat in school. Youth Can! interventions will be implemented in the 5th grade. The replicability and transferability of this model to other schools will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:
• Describe how to establish a planning partnership with youth for school-based nutrition intervention
• Explain participatory research techniques that encourage youth to critically examine food choices in their social context

Keywords: Participatory Action Research, Occupational Disease

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.