Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #106155

Caree J. Jackson, MS, Department of Foods and Nutrition, University of Georgia, 275 Dawson Hall, Athens, GA 30602, (678) 525-0167, caree_jackson@yahoo.com and Rebecca M. Mullis, PhD, RD, LD, The Department of Foods and Nutrition, The University of Georgia, 275 Dawson Hall, Athens, GA 30602-3622.

Objective: To pilot test a culturally appropriate theater production in order to determine if theater is an effective way of conveying messages about healthy eating and physical activity to low-income African-American children in school-based settings.

Setting: Four low-income predominantly African-American urban public schools in the southeastern region of the United States.

Method of Intervention: A culturally appropriate theater production, Lil' Red Ridin' Thru ‘Da Hood, was developed to specifically address the barriers that low-income African-American children may encounter while trying to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Study findings were evaluated using Pretest/Posttest measures from an adaptation of a previously validated instrument. Pretests/Posttests measured student knowledge, choices, intentions, and behaviors related to eating healthy foods and increasing physical activity. The study sample included 3rd and 4th students attending four elementary schools in a large, urban public school system (N=298). Ninety-five percent of the participants were African American. All students were administered a pretest, engaged in an activity, and given a posttest approximately three weeks after the pretest. Students at two schools (intervention group) attended a performance of Lil' Red Ridin' Thru ‘Da Hood and completed school-to-home activities to reinforce the messages conveyed in the play. Students at the remaining two schools (control group) participated in a reader's theater activity that included no nutrition or physical activity information, and did not complete any follow-up activities.

Result of Outcome: One hundred percent of students reported that they enjoyed the play. One hundred percent of teachers gave the show a rating of "Excellent" and reported that the play effectively conveyed health and nutrition messages for this population. Much of the data related to student knowledge, choices, intentions, and behaviors did not indicate statistically significant results. There were, however, significant differences in students' physical activity choices (p<.029), and physical activity recall (p<.003).

Conclusion of Significance: Both student and teacher acceptance of the use of a culturally appropriate theater production in nutrition education suggest that this innovative educational approach a viable medium for introducing nutrition and physical activity messages to low-income African American children in school-based settings. Further research, however, is needed to create interventions that will keep students engaged in nutrition and physical activity education, and potentially yield behavioral changes.

Learning Objectives:

2. Learner will be able to summarize and compare the research findings of this study to other research studies using theater as conduit for nutrition education in school-based settings.
4. Learner will be able to describe the process of developing and implementing a culturally appropriate theater production intervention to convey nutrition and physical activity messages to low-income African-American children in school-based settings.
6. Learner will be able to discuss, assess, and evaluate the research findings of a nutrition theater pilot study for low-income African-American children in school-based settings.

Keywords: African American, Youth

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.