title: "Smart Bodies" school wellness program increased children's knowledge of healthy nutrition practices and self-efficacy to consume fruit and vegetables.
abstract: Diets rich in fruit and vegetables are important for long-term health yet children frequently do not like these foods. The "Smart Bodies" school wellness program sought to increase children's knowledge of healthy nutritional practices, improve psychosocial variables associated with eating fruit and vegetables, and develop preferences for these foods. A randomized controlled intervention trial was conducted in 14 low-income, urban, public elementary schools (seven pairs). Data from 278 fourth and 282 fifth graders (234 boys, 326 girls; 82% Black, 10% White, 1% Hispanic, 5% Asian, 2% Other) were examined using multi-level modeling. The 12-week intervention program included participation in an interactive wellness exhibit and a classroom curriculum that emphasized consumption of fruit and vegetables. After the intervention, children that participated in the "Smart Bodies" program had greater nutrition knowledge and expressed more confidence that they could eat fruit instead of a favorite dessert, drink fruit juice and consume the recommended number of fruits and vegetables servings each day. Preferences for fruit and vegetables did not change as a result of participating in the program. These findings demonstrate that the "Smart Bodies" school-based wellness intervention positively impacted children's nutrition knowledge and psychosocial variables associated with consuming fruit and vegetables.
authors.affiliation: School of Human Ecology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA. gtuuri@lsu.edu
authors.forename: Georgianna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tuuri
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zanovec
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Silverman
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Geaghan
authors.forename: Melinda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Solmon
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Holston
authors.forename: Annrose
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guarino
authors.forename: Heli
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D001364:Awareness; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D003479:Curriculum; D004032:Diet / Q000592:standards*; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008145:Louisiana; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D044469:Racial Groups; D014675:Vegetables