(image: photos of kids in upper left and lower right corners; Action for Healthy Kids logo)

• Background
• Project goals
• Methods
• Results
• Summary

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*Consumption data from NHANES 2001-2002

(image: bar graph titled "What Kids Are Not Eating")

• Adequate nutrients within calorie needs
• Weight management
• Physical activity
• Food Groups to Encourage – special nutrients of concern for children
  • Calcium
  • Potassium
  • Magnesium
  • Vitamin E
  • Fiber

(image: cover of Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005)

• Pilot projects 2004-2005 school year with dozen Chicago-area schools
• Key Findings - Recommendations
  • Involve Students
  • Tastings and Promotions Get Attention
  • Information is Powerful
  • Support and Collaboration are Necessary
  • Packaging Counts
  • Price Advantage for Healthy Options
  • Be Consistent and Comprehensive
  • OK to Imitate

• Test simple promotional strategies to increase awareness and consumption of Food Groups to Encourage
  • Low Fat Dairy, Fruit/Vegetables, Whole Grains
• Develop practical student/school evaluation methods
• Based on findings, develop model approach for schools to utilize as a component of Wellness Policy implementation
  • Increase selection of key food groups
  • Increase student choice and consumption
  • Increase exposure to nutrition information; provide supplement to classroom nutrition education

• Evanston High School (urban)
  • 3200 students
  • 48% Caucasian, 39% African American, 9% Hispanic, 2% Pacific Islander/Asian
  • 32% enrolled free/reduced school meal
• Quincy High School (rural)
  • 1726 students
  • 89% Caucasian, 9% African American, 1% Hispanic, 1% Pacific Islander/Asian
  • 28% enrolled free/reduced school meal

• Baldwin Intermediate School (rural, Quincy)
  • 1468 students
  • 88% Caucasian, 10% African American, 1% Hispanic, 1% Pacific Islander/Asian
  • 55% enrolled free/reduced school meal
• Thomas & South Middle School (suburban, Arlington Heights)
  • 1700 students total in both schools
  • 90% Caucasian, 4% African American, 2% Hispanic, 5% Pacific Islander/Asian
  • 7% enrolled free/reduced school meal

• Nutrition promotion timing for each food group was one month long
• Design criteria included: cost effective, not-duplicative, complement school context, easy to administer
• Utilize Ag in Classroom materials and other USDA materials
• Target audiences for materials included food service professionals, students, teachers, and parents
• Utilize variety of communication vehicles and locations throughout school:
  • Morning announcement
  • Homeroom
  • Parent newsletter/menu
  • Posters in bathrooms, cafeteria, nurse office, halls
  • Cafeteria
  • Promotions included
    • Taste tests
    • Balloons, music, signage
    • Point of choice nutrient information

• What aspects of the promotion did students notice, like the most?
• Did student's make better food choices during the promotion?
• Are student's likely to continue choosing food groups highlighted?
• Did student's report a willingness to select the food group outside of school?
• Did food service professionals note differences in product utilization/selection?
• Would food service be willing to conduct promotions in the future?

(image: photo of girl jumping off chair)

• Formative information and immediate learnings
  • After each promotion one group completed
  • 15 focus groups total; 214 students total
• 83% of students were aware of promotions
• Promotional items noticed/liked most included
  • Taste testing most memorable/liked
  • Balloons, music
  • Posters
• Majority of :
  • Students understood the purpose of promotion
  • Middle school students reported trying food groups/products being highlighted
  • Students that did try new product/food, they did like it
• More of the school students reported NOT trying food group or product being highlighted

• Total of 353 students completed survey
  • 57% female and 43% male
  • 62% middle school and 38% high school
• 93% of students were aware of promotions throughout the school year; 41% remembered all promotions similarly, 36% remembered fruit/vegetable (completed previous month) and 15% remembered dairy the most (done at start of school year)
• Promotional items most memorable/effective
  • Taste tests 83%
  • Posters 68%
  • Balloons 45%
  • Hand outs/announcements 28%

(image: bar graph illustrating students responses to whether they learned why dairy, grains, and vegetables are important)

Since promotion, I eat more _____ product in cafeteria

(image: bar graph titled "I Eat More In Cafeteria")

Since promotion, I eat more at home and in other places

(image: bar graph titled "I Eat More At Home, Other Places")

In the future, I plan to eat more

(image: bar graph titled "In Future, Will Eat More")

• 63% correctly named number of servings from Dairy food group needed each day
• 40% correctly named the number of servings from Grain food group needed each day
• Less than 30% could correctly name the number of servings needed from Fruit or Vegetable food groups

• Promoting nutrition and healthful food items is very necessary – hard to compete with current practices
• Does not replace need for nutrition and health education – supplements classroom learning to drive at point of choice nutritious decisions
• Students from 5th to 12th grade did respond to simple promotions
• More intensive, longer lasting promotions would have greater effect
• Need participation from many stakeholders for successful and lasting practices
• Although not complicated, this approach takes time and resources to implement so collaborative approach is necessary

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• Cost-effective — resources available
• Complement larger school context — fit within school schedule, align with a coordinated school health model
• Be lasting — not just a one-time event without additional programs, want impact to be lasting
• Supported by critical audiences — students, administrators, school food service, teachers, families/parents, and community leaders
• On-going "body" charged with keeping the light on the issue -- School Health/Wellness Advisory Council

(image: photos of other Healthy Kids' resources)