“Art & Healthy Living”: Evaluating an Innovative Curriculum That Combines Art and Nutrition Education

Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior  Volume 44, Number 4S, 2012 O27 (continued) safely, and (3) practicing strategies for making fruits and vegetables appealing. Use of Theory or Research: Experiential Learning Theory using Keller's ARCS (Attention, Relevance, Confidence and Satisfaction) model of motivational design. Target Audience: School foodservice staff and management (N ¼ 400). Description: This interactive 3-hour training program included brief informational presentations interspersed with relevant, job-specific learning activities to draw upon and enhance skills. Activities included practicing food preparation and presentation strategies; coaching, marketing, and nudging; and menu planning. At the conclusion of the training, participants identified and recorded job-specific strategies they intended to implement to increase appeal of fruits and vegetables for students. Evaluation: Pre-, post- and follow-up surveys were implemented. Pre and post results showed significant improvement in knowledge of key learning objectives and significant increase in likelihood to put into practice the strategies learned in the program. Follow-up surveys indicated that participants continue to practice job-related strategies in an effort to increase appeal and ultimately student consumption of fruits and vegetables. Conclusions and Implications: This training fostered a sense of ownership and commitment to improving the appeal of student meals by all foodservice staff. The outcomes documented from this training highlight the capacity for all school foodservice staff to play a role in improving the appeal and healthfulness of student meals. Funding: Training programs were delivered on a fee-forservice basis.

O28 Factors Influencing Parental Purchase of Fruits and Vegetables A. Brunt, PhD, RD, [email protected], North Dakota State University, Box 6050, 351 EML, Fargo, ND 581086050; N. Bezbaruah, PhD, MSW, MPA, Minnesota State University; S. Stastny, PhD, RD, CSSD, North Dakota State University Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify factors that influence parent and guardian decisions when purchasing fruits and vegetables. Design, Setting and Participants: Four schools were randomly selected from 8 within a Midwestern school district. A 12-item survey was distributed to 475 households with third- and fourth-grade students. Surveys were returned by 233 parents and guardians. Outcome Measures and Analysis: The parents and guardians were asked to rank in order of influence 8 factors they considered while purchasing fruits and vegetables. The Kendall W test was used to determine ranking of these factors that influence decisions. Analysis of variance was used to assess the effect of parental and guardian education on their individual rankings. Results: Overall, family likes and dislikes was the most influential factor in purchasing decisions. This was closely

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followed by taste and child likes and dislikes. Cost was ranked fifth after nutrition. Only family likes and dislikes and cost were different among educational levels. Family likes and dislikes was more influential among those with more education (P ¼ .03), whereas cost was ranked higher by those with an associate's degree (P ¼ .02). Cost ranked the same among the other groups. Conclusions and Implications: Family and child preferences, as well as taste, appear to be the major factors in selecting fruits and vegetables for the family. Overall cost does not appear to be a major factor. Nutrition education should focus on influencing family food preferences to include more fruits and vegetables. Funding: None.

O29 ‘‘Art & Healthy Living’’: Evaluating an Innovative Curriculum That Combines Art and Nutrition Education P. Koch, EdD, RD, [email protected], Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street, Box 137, New York, NY 10027; H. Lee, PhD, RD; R. Milstein, MS Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of Art & Healthy Living (AHL) at increasing fruit and vegetable intake. Design, Setting and Participants: More than 900 New York City elementary public school students received AHL and completed pre and post surveys. Intervention: AHL is 12 lessons (with alternating nutrition and art lessons) in which students get to taste fresh fruits and vegetables from the farmers' market, learn why fruits and vegetables are important for health, and make action plans to eat more fruits and vegetables. Outcome Measures and Analysis: A self-reported 12question survey measured students' fruit and vegetable intake and theory-based mediators. Unpaired t tests compared pre and post results. Results: Results included students reporting eating more fruits and vegetables (1-4 scale: pre 2.92 to post 3.31; P < .001), increased knowledge to eat 5 fruits and vegetables a day (22% to 63%; P < .001), increased feelings of importance of fruits and vegetables (1-5 scale: 4.60 to 4.71; P < .001), and increased perception that friends eat fruits and vegetables (scale 1-5: pre 3.23 to post 3.41; P < .01). Conclusions and Implications: Combining nutrition and art education to provide students opportunities to taste, observe, learn, and create art about fruits and vegetables may be an innovative way to increase intake. Further testing is needed to confirm these results. Funding: A Program of Studio in a School that is funded by the New York City Council and MetLife Foundation.

O30 Veggiecation for the Love of Vegetables Y. Bai, PhD, RD, [email protected], Montclair State University, Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences, 1 Normal Avenue, Montclair, NJ 7043; L. Suriano, MS, Veggiecation LLC; S. Wunderlich, PhD, RD, Montclair State University

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