Mississippi elementary school teachers' perspectives on providing nutrition competencies under the framework of their school wellness policy.
OBJECTIVE
Identify elementary teachers' implementation of nutrition competencies as part of their school wellness policies (SWP) guided by Organizational Change Theory (OCT) constructs.


METHODS
A 32-item, cross-sectional survey was distributed through a Web link e-mailed to teachers in Mississippi public elementary schools. Response rate was 34% (n = 947) from 30 schools. Principal component factor analysis for inter-item correlations and theoretical fit to OCT was used with internal consistency reliability coefficients determined using Cronbach's alpha for Likert-type scales.


RESULTS
A majority of teachers (85.5%) favors their SWPs and has transitioned through the unfreezing stage. Lack of teacher input, time, resources, and recognition for providing nutrition education reflects that teachers do not have support for transitioning through the moving stage.


CONCLUSIONS
Use of evaluation tools to facilitate teachers' progress through the moving stage into the refreezing stage would be advantageous in supporting organizational change as school administrations implement SWPs.
Lambert
Laurel G
LG
Department of Nutrition and Hospitality Management, School of Applied Sciences, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA. LambertL@olemiss.edu
Monroe
Ann
A
Wolff
Lori
L
D000328:Adult; D053198:Child Nutrition Sciences / Q000193:education*; D003162:Competency-Based Education; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005178:Faculty; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000379:methods*; D020407:Internet; D008875:Middle Aged; D008922:Mississippi; D017146:Models, Organizational; D012574:Schools; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult