Examining Effectiveness of Nutrition Education in an After-School Healthy Habits Program in an Elementary School

Abstract

Childhood obesity is one of the most challenging public health issues. In the years 2017-2020, childhood obesity hit 20.7% among 6- to 11-year-olds (CDC, 2022). Many studies have linked nutrition and childhood obesity. Dietary factors that have been studied include sugary beverages, convenience foods, packaged snacks, lack of fruit and vegetable intake, and large portion sizes (Sahoo et al., 2015). Social and environmental influences heavily impact children’s behaviors regarding dietary choices. Specifically, the school environment has a significant impact on children’s dietary behaviors. Therefore, the school setting is an opportunity to promote positive health and lifestyle behaviors in children. The importance of nutrition education in this stage of life is significant as the beliefs developed in childhood tend to follow children into adulthood (Rasheed, 2023). School nutrition education programs have previously been shown to be effective in improving nutrition knowledge and health behaviors (Collado-Soler, 2023). Rasheed (2023) also found that nutrition education improved macronutrient intake and understanding of the importance of fruits and vegetables. Questionsremain regarding the delivery of nutrition interventions in the school setting, such as whether after-school nutrition education programs have an impact. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an 8-week nutrition intervention program within an after-school program by measuring whether nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs changed in children after the intervention.