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Final copy 5 April 2017-2.pdf (1.97 MB)

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The Effects of Access and Education on Preschool Children’s Fruit and Vegetable Intake

Smith, Elizabeth Ann
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1492295915836393

Abstract Details

2017, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Agricultural and Extension Education.
Abstract Inadequate fruit and vegetable (F &V) intake is associated with obesity and untoward health outcomes in children, particularly those from low resourced communities. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of novel implementation and assessment methods for increasing access and intake of fruits and vegetables (F&V) in children and to determine if supplemental nutrition education (SNAP- Ed) can augment the effects of increased access. A cluster randomized control method was used to randomize 209 Head Start preschool children by classrooms into 1 of 3 groups: Treatment A (control), Treatment B (produce/access), and Treatment C (produce/access and child nutrition education). Produce was provided weekly at each Head Start site to treatment B and C classrooms. Nutrition education, which was done for 30 minutes, was provided in treatment C classrooms weekly by SNAP-Ed personnel. Outcomes measured, done at baseline and at the study end included carotenoid levels as performed using a BioPhotonic™ Scanner/ Ramen Spectroscopy and validated self-report questionnaires. The questionnaire included questions on the fruit and vegetable intake of the subjects, availability, and use of the fruits and vegetables provided. Final scan numbers consisted of 209 children. Treatment C (access/education) had 82 subjects, Treatment B (access) contained 61 subjects, and Cluster A (Control) had 66 subjects. Average cluster carotenoid change scores (Ramen Units – RU) were positive for all groups: Cluster C = 7837 RU; Cluster B = 5050 RU; Control = 2622 RU. Differences in change scores were significant (p < .000) between Cluster C (produce/access with education) and Control. Using novel intervention and assessment techniques, fruit and vegetable access plus nutrition education significantly improved carotenoid levels among children compared to those who received access only or neither access or education. This study demonstrated a relationship between self-reported fruit and vegetable intake and quantitative BioPhotonic™ Scanner scores. Scanner scores were increased in both the access and the access with education clusters. Additionally, the self-reported intakes of fruits and vegetables were reported to have increased in both the children as well as their parents. This intake increase was most notable between the access with education cluster versus the control cluster, although significance was also noted between the access cluster and the control cluster as shown in ANOVA testing. This approach of providing fruits and vegetables to low resourced families helps to demonstrate the importance of education supplementing the provisions of fruits and vegetables. Subjects who were provided with information on how to prepare and use such provisions appeared more inclined to utilize the items, resulting in an increased carotenoid level as evidenced by said scan score results. Results of this study will be useful to demonstrate the importance of education along with produce provisions for those in need. Taste testing, hands-on experiential learning, recipe and newsletter type educational information was shown to change the behavior and consumption in this group of Head Start families receiving such interventions.
Jamie Cano (Advisor)
Gail Kaye (Committee Member)
214 p.
Health Education; Nutrition; Public Health Education
fruits and vegetables, Head Start children, quantitative assessment, BioPhotonic Scanner, access, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Smith, E. A. (2017). The Effects of Access and Education on Preschool Children’s Fruit and Vegetable Intake [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1492295915836393

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Smith, Elizabeth. The Effects of Access and Education on Preschool Children’s Fruit and Vegetable Intake . 2017. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1492295915836393.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Smith, Elizabeth. " The Effects of Access and Education on Preschool Children’s Fruit and Vegetable Intake ." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1492295915836393

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1492295915836393
921
© 2017, some rights reserved.Creative Commons License The Effects of Access and Education on Preschool Children’s Fruit and Vegetable Intake by Elizabeth Ann Smith is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at etd.ohiolink.edu.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.
Release 3.2.12