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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™

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Nutrition

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Clemson University

The Journal of Extension

Articles 1 - 5 of 5

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Expanded Food And Nutrition Education Program Generates Economic Value Through Body Mass Index Improvement: A Cost-Benefit Analysis, Andrea Leschewski, M. Catalina Aragon, Dave Weatherspoon, Karen Barale, Garry Auld, Richard Acquah-Sarpong, Susan S. Baker May 2024

Expanded Food And Nutrition Education Program Generates Economic Value Through Body Mass Index Improvement: A Cost-Benefit Analysis, Andrea Leschewski, M. Catalina Aragon, Dave Weatherspoon, Karen Barale, Garry Auld, Richard Acquah-Sarpong, Susan S. Baker

The Journal of Extension

Prior economic evaluations of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) perform cost-benefit analyses (CBA) reliant on self-reported behavioral data and unvalidated criteria for disease prevention. This study aims to conduct a CBA of Colorado and Washington EFNEP using an objective biomarker, Body Mass Index, to monetize program benefits. A longitudinal study of a convenience sample of EFNEP participants was conducted utilizing a single-group pretest-posttest design. Results indicate Colorado and Washington EFNEP generates $9.23 of benefits per $1.00 of costs and demonstrate the feasibility and value of using biomarkers in economic evaluations of nutrition education interventions delivered through Extension.

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Revisiting The Master Food Volunteer Program: Examining How To Enhance Nutrition Education In The United States, Stacey Viera, Lindsey Haynes-Maslow Sep 2023

Revisiting The Master Food Volunteer Program: Examining How To Enhance Nutrition Education In The United States, Stacey Viera, Lindsey Haynes-Maslow

The Journal of Extension

America’s diet-related illness crisis intersects with a lack of nutrition literacy, nutrition security, and systemic inequities. The Cooperative Extension Service’s (CES) national infrastructure could potentially provide equitable access to quality nutrition education in the US utilizing a Master Food Volunteer (MFV) model. This research brief examined preliminary evidence for the MFV model as a support for CES agents and paraprofessionals, and results show a paucity of evidence. Further research and a pilot program with pre-established measures for health-related knowledge and behaviors could elucidate the model’s potential to increase equitable access to evidence-based programming, nutrition, and implementation guidance.

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Engaging Farmers, Culinary Schools, And Communities In Value-Added Production To Strengthen Local Food Systems, Lauren B. Errickson, Ethan D. Schoolman, Virginia Quick, Sarah Davis, Anthony Capece Sep 2022

Engaging Farmers, Culinary Schools, And Communities In Value-Added Production To Strengthen Local Food Systems, Lauren B. Errickson, Ethan D. Schoolman, Virginia Quick, Sarah Davis, Anthony Capece

The Journal of Extension

Value-added products can generate farm income and improve community food access, yet lack of available kitchen infrastructure and labor can limit farm production capacity. This project explored how community-based culinary schools might fill the gap. A unique “product share” model was identified and piloted, meeting the collective needs of farmers, a culinary school, and urban consumers. By researching farmer crop availability and business model preferences, and aligning value-added production with community food preferences, we demonstrate a successful pilot indicative that similar initiatives can be replicated in other metropolitan areas, with potential to engage cross-disciplinary extension professionals.

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The Go Wild With Whole Grains! School-Based Program: Positive Impacts Among Children, Joshua Bailey, Sara Van Offelen, Hyunjun Kim, Marla Reicks Sep 2022

The Go Wild With Whole Grains! School-Based Program: Positive Impacts Among Children, Joshua Bailey, Sara Van Offelen, Hyunjun Kim, Marla Reicks

The Journal of Extension

Whole grain foods have been associated with health benefits, yet are underconsumed by youth compared to recommendations. This study evaluated impacts of a school-based curriculum among children in grades 3-5 to address barriers to intake (2018-2019) (n = 1,748). Surveys before and after the program indicated youth were more willing to try and better able to identify whole grain foods. Open-ended responses confirmed findings regarding increased ability to identify whole grain foods, increased preferences and perceptions of availability. Together, these impacts could increase the likelihood that youth can meet whole grain intake recommendations to improve diet quality and health.

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Designing Educational Newsletter Interventions: An Example That Supported Grandfamilies’ Physical Wellness Needs, Priscilla Brenes, Mary Meck Higgins Jul 2021

Designing Educational Newsletter Interventions: An Example That Supported Grandfamilies’ Physical Wellness Needs, Priscilla Brenes, Mary Meck Higgins

The Journal of Extension

Effective newsletters have theory-based content and designs tailored to their readers and offer limited-cost community-level approaches to providing helpful, relevant, and engaging information. In accordance with this, we offer an example of a newsletter intervention that supported grandfamilies’ physical wellness needs. Six issues of a brief mail-delivered newsletter were sent yearly for up to 5 years to low-income custodial grandparents. In evaluating the newsletter, most respondents reported reading it, discussing its information, and having greater awareness, knowledge, and motivation or confidence regarding wellness recommendations. Furthermore, 91% described improving 1 or more of their grandfamilies’ cooking, eating, or physical activity practices.

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