Development of the iCook 4-H Curriculum for Youth and Adults: Cooking, Eating, and Playing Together for Childhood Obesity Prevention

Lisa Franzen-Castle; Sarah E Colby; Kendra K Kattelmann; Melissa D Olfert; Douglas R Mathews; Kathryn Yerxa; Barbara Baker; Michelle Krehbiel; Tracey Lehrke; Kimberly Wilson; Sue M Flanagan; Amber Ford; Trina Aguirre; Adrienne A White

doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2018.11.006

Development of the iCook 4-H Curriculum for Youth and Adults: Cooking, Eating, and Playing Together for Childhood Obesity Prevention

J Nutr Educ Behav. 2019 Mar;51(3S):S60-S68. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2018.11.006.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Nutrition and Health Sciences Department, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE. Electronic address: lfranzen2@unl.edu.
² Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.
³ Department of Health and Nutritional Sciences, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD.
⁴ Division of Animal and Nutritional Sciences, Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV.
⁵ School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maine, Orono, ME.
⁶ School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Orono, ME.
⁷ 4-H Youth Development, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Bangor, ME.
⁸ 4-H Youth Development, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE.
⁹ Roberts County, South Dakota State University, Sisseton, SD.
¹⁰ Family and Community Health, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD.
¹¹ Berkeley County, WVU Extension Service, Martinsburg, WV.
¹² College of Nursing-Western Nebraska Division, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Scottsbluff, NE.

PMID: 30851862
DOI: 10.1016/j.jneb.2018.11.006

Abstract

The objective was to describe the development process of a curriculum (iCook 4-H) targeted to low-income, rural, and/or diverse youths and their adult primary meal preparer to promote cooking, eating, and playing together. Lessons learned highlighted the importance of grounding the curriculum in Social Cognitive Theory and applying the experiential 4-H learning model using a multiphased, community-based participatory approach with cyclical development and evaluation, and key modifications made for dissemination and distribution. Findings across 4 testing phases over 6 years and 5 states demonstrated the time-intensive, cyclical process that required flexibility with fidelity to form a hands-on, interactive curriculum.

Keywords: childhood obesity prevention; curriculum development; iCook 4-H; youth–adult dyads.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Adult
Child
Cooking*
Family
Feeding Behavior / physiology
Health Promotion / methods*
Humans
Models, Psychological
Pediatric Obesity / prevention & control*
Poverty
Research Design*
Rural Population
United States
Young Adult