Oral

The presentations in this session address four diverse approaches to improve nutrition through action-oriented nutrition education. Two speakers will present results of pilot studies with elementary school children, one which used a gardening and cooking model to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, and the other employed dietitian and recess coaches to improve children's energy balance. The presenters will share their findings and insights. A third intervention aimed to improve children's food choices and increase nutrient density via a storyline and characters; program evaluation results will also be presented. The fourth intervention was aimed at low income Latino families using peer facilitators to teach shopping and cooking skills to the adults, and then giving the families a bag of groceries to prepare the recipe at home. The pre-post test results showed positive behavior change trends.

Session Objectives: 1. Describe new strategies to improve children's healthy eating behaviors; and 2. Discuss family-oriented approaches to improve nutrition for at risk Latinos.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH) , Masters Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES)