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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Katherine L. Cason, PhD, RD, Department of Food Science, The Pennsylvania State University, 203B Borland Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802, 814-865-9288, klc13@psu.edu and Jan F. Scholl, PhD, CFCS, Ag and Extension Administration, The Pennsylvania State University, 323 Ag Administration Building, University Park, PA 16802.
Since 1969, Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) has educated low income adults, thereby enabling them to prepare and consume healthy, nutritious diets and to become better managers of their food dollars. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of EFNEP education on dietary adequacy and food-related behaviors of participants; and to compare the impact of nutrition education on dietary adequacy and food-related behaviors of EFNEP participants reached through individual, group, or SuperCupboard methods. The sample consisted of 2,059 homemakers enrolled in the EFNEP in Pennsylvania. The majority (70%) of the participants were enrolled in a traditional group program. One-tenth of the participants received lessons one-on-one, and 2.3% participated in both traditional group and one-on-one lessons. About one-sixth (17.4%) of the participants were enrolled in a SuperCupboard. Results from this study suggest that a significant percentage of graduates in EFNEP make desirable changes in behaviors that involve nutrition, food safety and food resource management practices. Participants made statistically significant increases in the number of meals, number of calories, number of servings of all food groups and nutrients, and all food related behaviors between the pretest and posttest. This study also suggests that the collaborative, learner-centered method of teaching (one-on-one) is the most effective in eliciting educational program impact. Group nutrition interventions do result in positive behavior changes in the participants, however the effectiveness and maintenance of adherence may require additional effort in order for group education to be cost effective.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Low-Income, Nutrition
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.