Ferguson, Denise E. (author), Friesen-Schroeder, Carol A. (author), Wray, Pamela S. (author), and Marion County Health Department, Indianapolis, IN; Marion County Health Department, Indianapolis, IN; Marion County Health Department, Indianapolis, IN
Format:
Conference paper
Publication Date:
1994
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 97 Document Number: C07876
James F. Evans Collection, Ham, Mimeographed, 1994. 1 p. Presented at the Society for Nutrition Education, Portland, OR, July 16-20, 1994., Healthy People 2000 Objective 2.6 encourages Americans to increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables to at least 5 or more servings per day. To help grade school children establish "fruit and vegetable-friendly" consumption patterns, a K-6 nutrition education curriculum emphasizing the "5 A Day for Better Health" principles was developed. Results of the pilot project, previously presented at SNE, were used to change the focus of the curriculum from a public health nurse-taught curriculum to a teacher-taught curriculum. Objectives of the second phase of the "5 A Day" curriculum project were to: 1) rewrite the curriculum so a classroom teacher with minimal nutrition knowledge could successfully teach the course, 2) offer "train-the-trainer" workshops to area elementary school teachers, and 3) compare students knowledge about, attitude toward and consumption of fruits and vegetables between teacher-taught and public health nurse-taught classes. Curriculum revisions were completed in October of 1993. To date, 221 elementary teachers have been trained in the "5 A Day" curriculum. Preliminary independent analysis of pre-/post-test results for both teachers (n=223) and nurses (n=4,562) indicates students demonstrated an increased knowledge about, an improved attitude toward, and an increased consumption of fruits and vegetables. A comparison of the teacher-taught and nurse-taught classes awaits further data collection. Students and teachers alike indicate this curriculum, approved by the National Cancer Institute, is a fun, "a-peeling" way to help foster healthier habits among today's youngsters!
