Fostering academic and student engagement among low-income urban youth through an innovative nutrition program

Low-income urban youth are more likely to have lower academic test scores, feel less connected to their school environment, experience lower rates of graduation, and have higher rates of obesity than more advantaged youth.  Research has confirmed that there is a relation between poor academic achievement and poor nutrition. To address both nutrition literacy and academic performance, Ironwill Kids PowerUp!, an interactive classroom-based nutrition initiative that creatively integrates literacy development with health learning through a series of hands-on laboratories, visual media, and scripted performances was developed. A pretest-posttest design study was subsequently conducted with middle schools students from The College Crusade of Rhode Island, which offers a multi-year program for low-income and minority students that focuses on academic enrichment and social and personal development. As part of this program, PowerUp! was implemented after school once a week for ten weeks. Students completed a self-report survey, with items adapted from a validated questionnaire, prior to the program (n=54) and at the conclusion of the program (n=46).  At posttest, there were significant positive changes (p <.05) in knowledge, self-efficacy, outcome expectation, and behavior.  This study demonstrated that it is feasible to implement a nutrition program with disadvantaged youth as part of a program to improve academic outcomes and student engagement. Thoughtfully developed school-based initiatives that treat health and learning as integrated issues, can play a crucial role in minimizing both the health and academic achievement gaps that currently exist among urban minority youth.