Online Program

317963
Individual and School-level Factors Related to School-Based Salad Bar Use among Children and Adolescents


Monday, November 2, 2015 : 10:30 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.

Lori Andersen, PhD, CHES, Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, Utah State University, Logan, UT
Leann Myers, PhD, Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA
Keelia O'Malley, MPH, Tulane Prevention Research Center, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA
Carolyn C. Johnson, PhD, Global Community Health and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between salad bar (SB) use, individual and school-level factors among children and adolescents in New Orleans schools.

Methods: Twelve schools receiving SB structures from the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools Campaign were recruited. Multi-level self-report data were collected from students (grades 3-12), school administrators, and food service directors and staff. Environmental data were obtained through direct observation. Generalized estimating equations were used to build a multivariable model to predict SB use examining student-level factors, where school was the clustering variable. A multilevel model was built to assess school-level and individual-level variables. Sample size was 1012.

Results: Female students were more likely to use the SB than males. Those with high levels of preference for healthy foods were almost two times more likely to be SB users than those who reported low preference for healthy food. After building a multilevel model for all students, only gender and healthy food preference remained significant. No other individual-level variables were significantly related to SB use and no school-level variables were significantly related to SB use. In a multilevel model examining SB use among 7th-12th grade students only, respondent encouragement and SB marketing were significantly related to SB use.

Conclusions: Little research has examined factors related to school-based SB use. Gender and food preference remain strong correlates of SB use. For secondary students, increased marketing efforts may be an important step. These findings can help inform school-based SBs and may improve participation rates.

Learning Areas:

Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe the individual factors associated with school-based salad bar use. Identify school-level factors associated with school-based salad bar use.

Keyword(s): Children and Adolescents, Nutrition

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a PhD Candidate that has studies school food environment for several years. I have been a study coordinator on several federally funded grants examining salad bar use in the school setting. My scientific research area explore approaches to preventing and reducing obesity in children and adolescents. This presentation is part of my dissertation work.
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.