Change in nutrition patterns through a school-based intervention-The Altus health and wellness academy model

Childhood and adolescent obesity continue to plague our nation. Health interventions must begin early. When students introduce more nutritious foods into their diets like fruits and vegetables, their health is positively impacted. This study reports on improvements in willingness to try new fruits and vegetables and correlated health behaviors, like physical activity, after participation in a school-based wellness program, The Health and Wellness Academy (HWA).

Seventy-two students participated in HWA, with a mean age of 10.43 ± 2.18 years. 58.3% were female, 75% were Hispanic, and the remaining 25% were Black. Each HWA session involved tailored nutrition and physical activity interventions. Pre- and post-program surveys were utilized to obtain nutrition data.

Results indicated that the willingness to try new fruits and new vegetables increased along with the length of time in HWA. The mixed linear model regression results revealed significant time effects on both willingness to try new fruits (P = 0.011) and willingness to try new vegetables (P = 0.001). Additionally, Spearman correlation analyses between nutritional outcomes and physical activity outcomes indicated that the relationship between different variables changed from baseline to follow-up assessments (r = 0.31, 0.48 and 0.32, with P = 0.033, 0.001, and 0.028).

Having a consistent, sustained intervention with a dedicated nutrition team allows youth to be exposed to a variety of nutrition options. Our findings indicate the HWA's tailored model allows for youth to find nutrition that is meaningful and relevant, thus willing to try new nutritious foods.