Recorded presentation

Jennifer E. Burden¹, Virginia R. Chomitz, PhD², Juhee Kim, MS², Jack Mingle³, Mary Joan McLarney, MS, RD⁴, Claire Kozower, MS⁵, Karen E. Peterson, ScD, RD⁶, and Karen Ann Hacker, MD, MPH². (1) Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, 617-734-4313, jburden@hsph.harvard.edu, (2) Institute for Community Health, 119 Windsor St., Ground Level, Cambridge, MA 02139, (3) Food Service, Cambridge Public Schools, 158 Spring St, Cambridge, MA 02141, (4) Food Service Department, Somerville Public Schools, 1060 Broadway, Somerville, MA 02144, (5) Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition / John Hancock Center for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Tufts University, 150 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, (6) Department of Society, Human Development and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard Prevention Research Center, 677 Huntington Avenue, 7th Fl., Boston, MA 02115

A mixed-methods study was conducted to inform intervention elements of Growing Healthy, a fruit and vegetable (F&V) promotion project in Cambridge and Somerville, Massachusetts elementary schools. Food Service Employees (FSE) participated in focus groups and completed self-administered questionnaires in order to assess FSE knowledge, attitudes and perceived barriers to food service menu change.

Focus groups (N=24) revealed two themes: student barriers (prefer fast/familiar foods, peers influence food choices, do not generally eat vegetables), and capacity barriers (lack of equipment, F&V spoilage, difficulty making new recipes).

Survey results (N=20) revealed gaps in F&V knowledge and in FSE perceptions of student opinions toward school food. When presented with a list of foods, many FSE incorrectly identified foods as those that meet school food service requirements for F&V servings. 65% reported fruit-flavored yogurt, 5% ketchup, 5% orange soda and 15% cheese pizza as fulfilling F&V serving requirements. 65% reported that students like the food, 70% reported that students like the fruits, and 30% reported that students like the vegetables served at school lunch. However, a student survey (N=2,383, spring 2003) revealed that only 21% like the food, 48% like the fruit, and 11% like the vegetables served at school lunch.

Food Service Directors have since been training, educating, and working alongside FSE in order to increase the number and improve the taste and presentation of the F&V items that they serve. Process and outcome evaluation (spring 2004) will assess the extent of implementation success and change in student attitudes towards school food service.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify potential barriers to making changes in school food service.
• Recognize importance of addressing the concerns of food service employees when implementing a cafeteria-based intervention.
• Use results to inform food service intervention elements

Keywords: School-Based Programs,

Awards: SHES Section Student Award - Recipient

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.

Recorded presentation