Nutrition Curriculum Training and Implementation Improves Teachers' Self-Efficacy, Knowledge, and Outcome...

To examine the effects of training and implementation of Forecasting Your Future: Nutrition Matters on teachers' self-efficacy to teach nutrition and teachers' nutrition knowledge and explore outcome expectations for students.

A mixed-methods study, with Indiana Family and Consumer Sciences high school teachers randomized to control and intervention, was conducted using baseline surveys, implementation of new or usual curriculum, follow-up survey(s), and semistructured interviews. Self-efficacy and knowledge were analyzed by hierarchical linear modeling. Interviews were thematically analyzed using a 5-phase process to identify outcome expectations.

Intervention teachers (n = 17) had greater increases in nutrition knowledge (P = 0.028) and self-efficacy (P = 0.010) compared with controls (n = 18). Interviews revealed that teachers sought to affect students' long-term health by providing knowledge and skills to make healthy choices.

This training with updated curricula and implementation improved theoretical determinants of effective nutrition instruction. Teachers expected student learning will contribute to future eating behaviors.