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Healthy Habits for Life: Food-tastic Youth Programs to Build Healthy Relationships with Food
Room: Forest
Date: November 16th, 2021
Category: Healthy Living
4-H 2025 Vision Area: Extraordinary Opportunities to Learn
Session Format: Research, Innovation and Program Roundtables (40 minutes)
Presenter Email: a.lazzari11@ufl.edu
Presenter(s)
Andrea Lazzari, University of Florida IFAS Extension Brevard County
Angelika Keene, University of Florida IFAS Extension Brevard County
Elizabeth Shephard, University of Florida IFAS Extension Brevard County
Vanessa Spero, University of Florida IFAS Extension
Gayle Whitworth, University of Florida IFAS Extension Brevard County
Abstract
Many families don’t have access to quality food and nutrition education and are at risk of negative health outcomes including inadequate nutrition and physical activity, leading to obesity and various other diseases. By targeting school-aged, at-risk youth and their families, we use agriculture, nutrition, and health education to empower them with the knowledge and skills needed to make healthier choices resulting in positive behavior changes. In this session, three unique healthy-living programs offered at schools, summer camps, and within the community will be shared. Evaluation data shows that youth are gaining knowledge about healthy food choices and increasing their family’s fruit and vegetable consumption. Discussion points will include how to replicate these programs, identifying appropriate community partners, and considerations for a family-oriented, community-wide approach to 4-H healthy living programming.
Roundtable Summary
Many families don’t have access to quality food and nutrition education and are at risk of negative health outcomes including inadequate nutrition and physical activity, leading to obesity and various other diseases (Choi, 2007; Stuart et al, 2008; Valois et al, 2002). By targeting school-aged, at-risk youth and their families, we use agriculture, nutrition, and health education to empower them with the knowledge and skills needed to make healthier choices resulting in positive behavior changes. Three unique programs offered at schools, over the summer, and within the community target these objectives: Try It Tuesday, a monthly program held in public elementary schools that gives students the opportunity to try a new fruit or vegetable and is occasionally incorporated into the cafeteria’s menu; Tiny Market, a mobile farmers market brought to summer-camp sites to educate youth on where food comes from and nutrition through activities such as scavenger hunts, healthy snack preparation, and shopping at the market; and Farmers in Training (F.I.T.), a program held monthly at our farmers market where children complete a taste test, physical activity, and nutrition activity focused on an in-season fruit or vegetable for ‘Farmer’s Market Bucks’ to shop at the market. This community-wide approach to healthy living programming helps to target youth and families from diverse geographic areas and socio-economic backgrounds. Program outcomes are evaluated through pre- and post-surveys. These evaluations have shown that students exhibited a 55% gain in knowledge about the importance of healthy food choices. Youth increased their fruit consumption by 12% and their vegetable consumption by 10%. In addition, 9% of students began giving their family suggestions on healthy snacks and meals. These results suggest that youth who explore relationships with foods are empowered to immediately incorporate healthy choices into their lifestyle.
Healthy Habits for Life: Food-tastic Youth Programs to Build Healthy Relationships with Food
Category
Research, Innovation and Program Roundtables (40 minutes)
Description
Andrea Lazzari, University of Florida