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Published on: August 21, 2015
A Multicomponent, School-Based Intervention, the Shaping Healthy Choices Program, Improves Nutrition-Related Outcomes
Rachel E Scherr1, Jessica D Linnell2, Madan Dharmar3
1Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA; Center for Nutrition in Schools, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA.
Objective:
To evaluate the effectiveness of the Shaping Healthy Choices Program (SHCP).
Design:
A clustered, randomized, controlled intervention lasting 1 school year.
Setting:
Schools in northern and central California.
Participants:
Fourth-graders (aged 9-10 years) at 2 control schools (n = 179) and 2 intervention schools (n = 230).
Intervention:
Garden-enhanced education, family, and community partnerships; increased regionally procured produce in the lunchroom; and school-site wellness committees.
Main Outcome Measures:
Changes in body mass index (BMI) percentiles/Z-scores; nutrition knowledge, science process skills, and vegetable identification and preferences; and reported fruit and vegetable intake.
Analysis:
Student t test, chi-square, ANOVA of change, and multilevel regression mixed model to evaluate change in outcomes with school as a random effect to account for cluster design effects. Statistical significance was set at P < .05.
Results:
There was a greater improvement in BMI percentile (-6.08; P < 0.01), BMI Z-score (-0.28; P < .001), and waist-to-height ratio (-0.02; P < .001) in the intervention compared with the control schools.
Conclusions And Implications:
The SHCP resulted in improvements in nutrition knowledge, vegetable identification, and a significant decrease in BMI percentiles. This supports the concept that the SHCP can be used to improve the health of upper elementary school students.
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