- Email: [email protected]
Nutritionopoly: Let Healthy Choices “Monopolize” Your Lifestyle
GEM No. 492 Nutritionopoly: Let Healthy Choices ‘‘Monopolize’’ Your Lifestyle
Ashley L. Person, MS, RD1; Sarah E. Colby, PhD, RD2,†; Janie W. Eubanks, RD3 INTRODUCTION The transition from high school to college is often accompanied by drastic environmental and lifestyle changes that are likely to influence health-related behaviors.1-4 The most influential factors cited by college students on nutrition and weight gain include: unhealthful food availability on campus, snacking, late-night eating, alcohol-related eating, and stress-related eating.5 Use of creative approaches for nutrition education programs is important to most effectively reach college students and target these areas of concern. Educational techniques such as peer-led nutrition interventions6 and educational tools such as the Diabetic Exchange List for Meal Planning7 have been cited as effective ways of positively influencing health behaviors of college students. With the growing popularity of cooking shows, the use of nutrition and cooking programs aimed at off-campus college students has been shown to increase knowledge of fruit and vegetable intake recommendations.8 Additionally, a new and innovative approach to education is the use of popular games as the basis for nutrition programs. One study found that by using ‘‘Jeopardy’’-type game presentations, students were more enthusiastic and better engaged than with traditional lecture-type programs.9 The intent of the Nutritionopoly: Let Healthy Choices ‘‘Monopolize’’
Your Lifestyle special educational event was to teach students how to incorporate small changes into their daily routine and how those changes can make a difference in overall health.
THE EVENT Nutritionopoly, a dinner hosted in Greenville, North Carolina at 1 of East Carolina University’s campus dining halls, was a re-creation of the well-known board game Monopoly. Students had the opportunity to participate in a range of activities, from picking up information while selecting their food to playing the board game. Names of the properties in the original game were altered to represent the different food stations present at the dining hall, such as Sushi Roll Avenue, Oceanwater Avenue, and College Hill Gardens. ‘‘Fat-Free’’ Space was represented by large, bountiful displays of fresh fruits and vegetables. To help bring the board game to life, each food station was decorated according to its designated property. Featured food items, oversized property houses, and bags of ‘‘money’’ were also located throughout the dining hall to add to the overall theme. Each piece of ‘‘money’’ contained tips for incorporating healthful eating and exercise habits into daily routines and was available to students on dining and educational tables as well as at food stations. Money was
1
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 3 ARAMARK/Campus Dining, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC † Dr. Colby was affiliated with the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at East Carolina University when this study was completed. Address for correspondence: Sarah E. Colby, PhD, RD, 1215 W. Cumberland Ave, 229 Jessie Harris Building, Knoxville, TN 37996. Phone: (865) 974-5445; Fax: (865) 974-3491; E-mail: [email protected] J Nutr Educ Behav. 2011;43:303-305 Ó2011 SOCIETY FOR NUTRITION EDUCATION doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2010.10.008 2
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior Volume 43, Number 4, 2011
not intended to be used in exchange for food or prizes, but instead as a way to communicate nutrition messages to students. The main feature of the event was a life-sized, 20’ by 20’ Nutritionopoly board game on which students had the opportunity to actively interact (Figure). In the game, students were asked questions related to nutrition, exercise, and overall health by volunteer nutrition students. With each correct answer, the students were able to make their way around the board and through the activities. As with the original game, dice were used to determine where students would land next. Depending on the space, students may have received a healthful snack for passing ‘‘Go,’’ a bottle of water for landing on ‘‘Water Works for You,’’ or they may have been asked to run in place or do jumping jacks according to ‘‘Take a Chance’’ card instructions. In addition to the Nutritionopoly board game, educational tables were also set up for students to visit at their leisure; these tables highlighted nutritional and health benefits related to each food station. For example, information such as the benefits of sushi, dark chocolate, and seafood and the differences between cooking oils was displayed at the tables. For each table visited or game played, students received a punch on a punch card. Once 3 or more punches were obtained, the card could be redeemed for a prize located at ‘‘The Bank.’’ Prizes included items such as water bottles, t-shirts, Frisbees, footballs, and Monopoly board games.
FEEDBACK FROM STUDENTS An estimated 1,000 students, faculty, and staff attended Nutritionopoly, a typical number for special events at this dining hall. A total of 101 East Carolina University students who
303
304 Person et al
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior Volume 43, Number 4, 2011
Figure. 20’ by 20’ Nutritionopoly game board used in the event.
participated in Nutritionopoly completed evaluation surveys on the event. Participants were asked to rate various items using a 5-point Likert scale (1 ¼ poor to 5 ¼ excellent). Overall, 88% of participants ranked the event’s theme/decorations as ‘‘excellent,’’ 64% ranked the food as ‘‘excellent,’’ and 78% ranked the activities as ‘‘excellent.’’ When asked if they learned anything new about healthful eating from this program, 98% indicated that they had and 94% reported that they learned something that they could apply to their personal or professional development. On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 ¼ strongly agree to 5 ¼ strongly disagree), 60% of participants agreed that their awareness of nutritious, healthful options had increased as a result of the program. Almost half (49%) reported that they regularly eat nutrient-dense food items on campus, and 63% thought that because of their participation in the event, they were more able to easily identify nutritious options on campus.
These statistics were obtained through voluntary completion of program evaluations. Therefore, the percentage of participants who completed the evaluation compared to the number who actually attended the event was quite low. A higher completion rate may have altered these survey results. This event also did not evaluate participants’ intent to try new food. This is an interesting area to investigate in future events in order to discover whether educational programs and an increase in awareness and/or knowledge result in actual or intended changes in lifestyle behaviors.
FUTURE APPLICATION Nutritionopoly, an interactive college campus dining nutritional event, appears to be a creative and effective approach to increase college-aged students’ knowledge of how to incorporate small diet and exercise changes
into their daily routines. Feedback from participants suggested that interactive, game-like events can be a fun and informative way to provide students with the tools necessary to make healthful lifestyle changes that can positively influence overall health. Nutrition departments at other college campuses can use this event as a framework for creating their own lifesized board games geared toward nutrition and health-related topics.
NOTE No Institutional Review Board approval was necessary for this program, and it was considered exempt from full panel review by the University and Medical Center Institutional Review Board of the East Carolina University.
REFERENCES 1. Lenz B. The transition from adolescence to young adulthood: a theoretical perspective. J Sch Nurs. 2001;17:300-306.
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior Volume 43, Number 4, 2011 2. Cullen KW, Koehly LM, Anderson C, et al. Gender differences in chronic disease risk behaviors through the transition out of high school. Am J Prev Med. 1999;17:1-7. 3. Crombia AP, Ilich JZ, Dutton GR, Panton LB, Abood DA. The freshman weight gain phenomenon revisited. Nutr Rev. 2009;67:83-94. 4. Racette SB, Deusinger SS, Strube MJ, Highstein GR, Deusinger RH. Changes in weight and health behaviors from freshman through senior year of college. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2008;40:39-42.
5. Nelson MC, Kocos R, Lytle LA, Perry CL. Understanding the perceived determinants of weight-related behaviors in late adolescence: a qualitative analysis among college youth. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2009;41:287-292. 6. Bradley K, Silliman K, Morris MN. Evaluation of a peer-led nutrition education intervention among college students. FASEB J. 2008;22:681.7. 7. Henry M. A Nutrition Education Program to Change College Dorm Dwellers Eating Patterns [dissertation]. Long Beach, CA:
Person et al 305 California State University; 2009. ProQuest Publication No. AAT 1466105. 8. Clifford D, Anderson J, Auld G, Champ J. Good grubbin’: impact of a TV cooking show for college students living off campus. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2009;41:194-200. 9. Een M, Scott B, Prum A, St. Jeor ST. An interactive game to present nutrition information to medical students during their family medicine clerkship. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009;9: A56.
Ashley L. Person, MS, RD1; Sarah E. Colby, PhD, RD2,†; Janie W. Eubanks, RD3 INTRODUCTION The transition from high school to college is often accompanied by drastic environmental and lifestyle changes that are likely to influence health-related behaviors.1-4 The most influential factors cited by college students on nutrition and weight gain include: unhealthful food availability on campus, snacking, late-night eating, alcohol-related eating, and stress-related eating.5 Use of creative approaches for nutrition education programs is important to most effectively reach college students and target these areas of concern. Educational techniques such as peer-led nutrition interventions6 and educational tools such as the Diabetic Exchange List for Meal Planning7 have been cited as effective ways of positively influencing health behaviors of college students. With the growing popularity of cooking shows, the use of nutrition and cooking programs aimed at off-campus college students has been shown to increase knowledge of fruit and vegetable intake recommendations.8 Additionally, a new and innovative approach to education is the use of popular games as the basis for nutrition programs. One study found that by using ‘‘Jeopardy’’-type game presentations, students were more enthusiastic and better engaged than with traditional lecture-type programs.9 The intent of the Nutritionopoly: Let Healthy Choices ‘‘Monopolize’’
Your Lifestyle special educational event was to teach students how to incorporate small changes into their daily routine and how those changes can make a difference in overall health.
THE EVENT Nutritionopoly, a dinner hosted in Greenville, North Carolina at 1 of East Carolina University’s campus dining halls, was a re-creation of the well-known board game Monopoly. Students had the opportunity to participate in a range of activities, from picking up information while selecting their food to playing the board game. Names of the properties in the original game were altered to represent the different food stations present at the dining hall, such as Sushi Roll Avenue, Oceanwater Avenue, and College Hill Gardens. ‘‘Fat-Free’’ Space was represented by large, bountiful displays of fresh fruits and vegetables. To help bring the board game to life, each food station was decorated according to its designated property. Featured food items, oversized property houses, and bags of ‘‘money’’ were also located throughout the dining hall to add to the overall theme. Each piece of ‘‘money’’ contained tips for incorporating healthful eating and exercise habits into daily routines and was available to students on dining and educational tables as well as at food stations. Money was
1
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 3 ARAMARK/Campus Dining, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC † Dr. Colby was affiliated with the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at East Carolina University when this study was completed. Address for correspondence: Sarah E. Colby, PhD, RD, 1215 W. Cumberland Ave, 229 Jessie Harris Building, Knoxville, TN 37996. Phone: (865) 974-5445; Fax: (865) 974-3491; E-mail: [email protected] J Nutr Educ Behav. 2011;43:303-305 Ó2011 SOCIETY FOR NUTRITION EDUCATION doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2010.10.008 2
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior Volume 43, Number 4, 2011
not intended to be used in exchange for food or prizes, but instead as a way to communicate nutrition messages to students. The main feature of the event was a life-sized, 20’ by 20’ Nutritionopoly board game on which students had the opportunity to actively interact (Figure). In the game, students were asked questions related to nutrition, exercise, and overall health by volunteer nutrition students. With each correct answer, the students were able to make their way around the board and through the activities. As with the original game, dice were used to determine where students would land next. Depending on the space, students may have received a healthful snack for passing ‘‘Go,’’ a bottle of water for landing on ‘‘Water Works for You,’’ or they may have been asked to run in place or do jumping jacks according to ‘‘Take a Chance’’ card instructions. In addition to the Nutritionopoly board game, educational tables were also set up for students to visit at their leisure; these tables highlighted nutritional and health benefits related to each food station. For example, information such as the benefits of sushi, dark chocolate, and seafood and the differences between cooking oils was displayed at the tables. For each table visited or game played, students received a punch on a punch card. Once 3 or more punches were obtained, the card could be redeemed for a prize located at ‘‘The Bank.’’ Prizes included items such as water bottles, t-shirts, Frisbees, footballs, and Monopoly board games.
FEEDBACK FROM STUDENTS An estimated 1,000 students, faculty, and staff attended Nutritionopoly, a typical number for special events at this dining hall. A total of 101 East Carolina University students who
303
304 Person et al
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior Volume 43, Number 4, 2011
Figure. 20’ by 20’ Nutritionopoly game board used in the event.
participated in Nutritionopoly completed evaluation surveys on the event. Participants were asked to rate various items using a 5-point Likert scale (1 ¼ poor to 5 ¼ excellent). Overall, 88% of participants ranked the event’s theme/decorations as ‘‘excellent,’’ 64% ranked the food as ‘‘excellent,’’ and 78% ranked the activities as ‘‘excellent.’’ When asked if they learned anything new about healthful eating from this program, 98% indicated that they had and 94% reported that they learned something that they could apply to their personal or professional development. On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 ¼ strongly agree to 5 ¼ strongly disagree), 60% of participants agreed that their awareness of nutritious, healthful options had increased as a result of the program. Almost half (49%) reported that they regularly eat nutrient-dense food items on campus, and 63% thought that because of their participation in the event, they were more able to easily identify nutritious options on campus.
These statistics were obtained through voluntary completion of program evaluations. Therefore, the percentage of participants who completed the evaluation compared to the number who actually attended the event was quite low. A higher completion rate may have altered these survey results. This event also did not evaluate participants’ intent to try new food. This is an interesting area to investigate in future events in order to discover whether educational programs and an increase in awareness and/or knowledge result in actual or intended changes in lifestyle behaviors.
FUTURE APPLICATION Nutritionopoly, an interactive college campus dining nutritional event, appears to be a creative and effective approach to increase college-aged students’ knowledge of how to incorporate small diet and exercise changes
into their daily routines. Feedback from participants suggested that interactive, game-like events can be a fun and informative way to provide students with the tools necessary to make healthful lifestyle changes that can positively influence overall health. Nutrition departments at other college campuses can use this event as a framework for creating their own lifesized board games geared toward nutrition and health-related topics.
NOTE No Institutional Review Board approval was necessary for this program, and it was considered exempt from full panel review by the University and Medical Center Institutional Review Board of the East Carolina University.
REFERENCES 1. Lenz B. The transition from adolescence to young adulthood: a theoretical perspective. J Sch Nurs. 2001;17:300-306.
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior Volume 43, Number 4, 2011 2. Cullen KW, Koehly LM, Anderson C, et al. Gender differences in chronic disease risk behaviors through the transition out of high school. Am J Prev Med. 1999;17:1-7. 3. Crombia AP, Ilich JZ, Dutton GR, Panton LB, Abood DA. The freshman weight gain phenomenon revisited. Nutr Rev. 2009;67:83-94. 4. Racette SB, Deusinger SS, Strube MJ, Highstein GR, Deusinger RH. Changes in weight and health behaviors from freshman through senior year of college. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2008;40:39-42.
5. Nelson MC, Kocos R, Lytle LA, Perry CL. Understanding the perceived determinants of weight-related behaviors in late adolescence: a qualitative analysis among college youth. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2009;41:287-292. 6. Bradley K, Silliman K, Morris MN. Evaluation of a peer-led nutrition education intervention among college students. FASEB J. 2008;22:681.7. 7. Henry M. A Nutrition Education Program to Change College Dorm Dwellers Eating Patterns [dissertation]. Long Beach, CA:
Person et al 305 California State University; 2009. ProQuest Publication No. AAT 1466105. 8. Clifford D, Anderson J, Auld G, Champ J. Good grubbin’: impact of a TV cooking show for college students living off campus. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2009;41:194-200. 9. Een M, Scott B, Prum A, St. Jeor ST. An interactive game to present nutrition information to medical students during their family medicine clerkship. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009;9: A56.