255965 Racial differences in Nutritional Knowledge, Behavior and Self-Efficacy among Oklahoma Youth

Monday, October 29, 2012

Angela Watkins, MBA, MPH , Community Epidemiology and Evaluation, Oklahoma State Department of Health, Oklahoma City, OK
Jennifer Han, PhD, CHES , Community Epidemiology and Evaluation, Oklahoma State Department of Health, Oklahoma City, OK
Kathy Payne, MHR , Health Promotion, Community Development Service, Oklahoma State Department of Health, Oklahoma City, OK
Miriam McGaugh, PhD , Community Epidemiology and Evaluation, Oklahoma State Department of Health, Oklahoma City, OK
Racial differences in Nutritional Knowledge, Behavior and Self-Efficacy among Oklahoma Youth

Background: The Coordinated Approach to Child Health Kids Club (CKC) was implemented as an after-school program in Oklahoma in 2007 to help reduce childhood obesity by increasing nutritional and physical activity awareness among participants.

Purpose: Evaluate the effectiveness of CKC afterschool nutrition education across racial groups for Oklahoma youth.

Methods: Third through fifth grade students (n=1418) completed pre and post surveys over 3 academic years (2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010). Scores for nutrition knowledge, behavior and self-efficacy were generated for each year based on responses and the change in score was analyzed via ANOVA across races for each year.

Results: For 2007-2008, Whites, Hispanics and Native Americans showed an increase in knowledge and self-efficacy. Hispanics showed an increase in food behavior. For 2008-2009, Whites and Native Americans and those students who identified as Other for race showed an increase in food knowledge. Whites showed an increase in food behavior. In 2009-2010, students who identified as Other showed an increase in self-efficacy. All increases were significant at alpha < 0.05 (p). No statistically significant decreases were observed.

Conclusions: The effect of the CKC program varies by racial group. Research is needed on ways to adjust program content and implementation to improve nutrition outcomes across all Oklahoma children.

Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and prevention
Epidemiology

Learning Objectives:
Learning Objective: Compare the nutritional knowledge, behavior, and self-efficacy improve among Oklahoma youth from different racial groups.

Keywords: Children's Health, Obesity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have assisted in writing papers on cancer and chronic epidemiology. I have done several literature reviews on chronic epidemiology and have been studying obesity for over 9 years through my undergrad in biochemsity and my masters program in public health.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3184.2: Exercise and Physical Activity Poster Session