The Shaping Healthy Choices Program: design and implementation methodologies for a multicomponent, school-based nutrition education intervention

Rachel E Scherr; Jessica D Linnell; Martin H Smith; Marilyn Briggs; Jacqueline Bergman; Kelley M Brian; Madan Dharmar; Gail Feenstra; Carol Hillhouse; Carl L Keen; Lori M Nguyen; Yvonne Nicholson; Lenna Ontai; Sara E Schaefer; Theresa Spezzano; Francene M Steinberg; Carolyn Sutter; Janel E Wright; Heather M Young; Sheri Zidenberg-Cherr

doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2014.08.010

The Shaping Healthy Choices Program: design and implementation methodologies for a multicomponent, school-based nutrition education intervention

J Nutr Educ Behav. 2014 Nov-Dec;46(6):e13-21. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2014.08.010. Epub 2014 Nov 7.

Authors

Rachel E Scherr¹, Jessica D Linnell¹, Martin H Smith², Marilyn Briggs¹, Jacqueline Bergman¹, Kelley M Brian¹, Madan Dharmar³, Gail Feenstra⁴, Carol Hillhouse⁵, Carl L Keen⁶, Lori M Nguyen¹, Yvonne Nicholson⁷, Lenna Ontai⁸, Sara E Schaefer⁹, Theresa Spezzano³, Francene M Steinberg¹⁰, Carolyn Sutter¹¹, Janel E Wright¹², Heather M Young¹³, Sheri Zidenberg-Cherr¹⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA; Center for Nutrition in Schools, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA.
² Department of Population Health and Reproduction, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA; Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA; University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California Cooperative Extension, Davis, CA.
³ University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California Cooperative Extension, Merced and Stanislaus Counties, Modesto, CA.
⁴ UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, Agricultural Sustainability Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA.
⁵ School Gardening Program, Agricultural Sustainability Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA.
⁶ Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA; Department of Internal Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA.
⁷ University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California Cooperative Extension, Sacramento County, Sacramento, CA.
⁸ Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA; University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California Cooperative Extension, Davis, CA.
⁹ Foods for Health Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA.
¹⁰ Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA.
¹¹ Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA.
¹² University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California Cooperative Extension, Davis, CA.
¹³ Davis Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA.
¹⁴ Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA; Center for Nutrition in Schools, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA; University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California Cooperative Extension, Davis, CA. Electronic address: sazidenbergcherr@ucdavis.edu.

PMID: 25457732
DOI: 10.1016/j.jneb.2014.08.010

Abstract

Objective: To provide a framework for implementation of multicomponent, school-based nutrition interventions. This article describes the research methods for the Shaping Healthy Choices Program, a model to improve nutrition and health-related knowledge and behaviors among school-aged children.

Design: Longitudinal, pretest/posttest, randomized, controlled intervention.

Setting: Four elementary schools in California.

Participants: Fourth-grade students at intervention (n = 252) and control (n = 238) schools and their parents and teachers. Power analyses demonstrate that a minimum of 159 students per group will be needed to achieve sufficient power. The sample size was determined using the variables of nutrition knowledge, vegetable preference score, and body mass index percentile.

Intervention: A multicomponent school-based nutrition education intervention over 1 academic year, followed by activities to support sustainability of the program.

Main outcome measures: Dietary and nutrition knowledge and behavior, critical thinking skills, healthy food preferences and consumption, and physical activity will be measured using a nutrition knowledge questionnaire, a food frequency questionnaire, a vegetable preferences assessment tool, the Test of Basic Science Process Skills, digital photography of plate waste, PolarActive accelerometers, anthropometrics, a parent questionnaire, and the School and Community Actions for Nutrition survey.

Analysis: Evaluation will include quantitative and qualitative measures. Quantitative data will use paired t, chi-square, and Mann-Whitney U tests and regression modeling using P = .05 to determine statistical significance.

Keywords: childhood nutrition; methodology; multicomponent interventions; nutrition education; school-based research.

Publication types

Multicenter Study
Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Body Mass Index
California / epidemiology
Child
Child Behavior
Child Nutrition Sciences / education*
Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena*
Choice Behavior
Female
Food Services*
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Motor Activity
Nutrition Policy*
Overweight / epidemiology
Overweight / prevention & control
Patient Compliance*
Patient Education as Topic*
Risk
Schools