Moonseong Heo1, Erica Irvin2, Natania Ostrovsky3, Carmen Isasi4, Arthur E Blank5, David W Lounsbury6, Lynn Fredericks7, Tiana Yom8, Mindy Ginsberg9, Shawn Hayes10, Judith Wylie-Rosett11. 1. Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Belfer 13-th Floor, Bronx, NY 10461. moonseong.heo@einstein.yu.edu. 2. HealthCorps, 75 Broad Street, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10004. erica.irvin@healthcorps.org. 3. Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Belfer 13-th Floor, Bronx, NY 10461. natania.ostrovsky@einstein.yu.edu. 4. Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Belfer 13-th Floor, Bronx, NY 10461. carmen.isasi@einstein.yu.edu. 5. Department of Family and Social Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Harold and Muriel Block Building, Room 409, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461. Arthur.Blank@Einstein.yu.edu. 6. Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Belfer 13-th Floor, Bronx, NY 10461. david.lounsbury@einstein.yu.edu. 7. FamilyCook Productions, 330 East 43rd Street, Ste. 704, New York, NY 10017. lynn@familycookproductions.com. 8. Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Belfer 13-th Floor, Bronx, NY 10461. tiyom@umich.edu. 9. Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Belfer 13-th Floor, Bronx, NY 10461. mindy.ginsberg@einstein.yu.edu. 10. HealthCorps, 555 Capitol Mall, Suite 250, Sacramento, CA 95814. shawn.hayes@healthcorps.org. 11. Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, 1307 Belfer Building, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461. judith.wylie-rosett@einstein.yu.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: HealthCorps provides school wellness programming using curricula to promote changes in nutrition, mental health, and physical activity behaviors. The research objective was to evaluate effects of implementing its curricula on nutrition, mental health, and physical activity knowledge and behavior. METHODS: Pre- and postsurvey data were collected (N = 2255) during the 2012-2013 academic year from 14 New York City public high schools. An 18-item knowledge questionnaire addressed 3 domains; 26 behavioral items were analyzed by factor analysis to identify 6 behavior domains, breakfast being a seventh 1-item domain. We examined the effects stratified by sex, applying mixed-effects models to take into account clustering effects of schools and participants adjusted for age. RESULTS: The HealthCorps program significantly increased all 3 knowledge domains (p < .05), and significantly changed several key behavioral domains. Boys significantly increased fruits/vegetables intake (p = .03). Girls increased acceptance of new fruits/vegetables (p = .03) and breakfast consumption (p = .04), and decreased sugar-sweetened beverages and energy dense food intake (p = .03). The associations between knowledge and behavior were stronger in boys than girls. CONCLUSION: The HealthCorps program significantly increased participants' knowledge on nutrition, mental health, and physical activity. It also improved several key behavioral domains, which are targets of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines to address obesity in youth.
BACKGROUND: HealthCorps provides school wellness programming using curricula to promote changes in nutrition, mental health, and physical activity behaviors. The research objective was to evaluate effects of implementing its curricula on nutrition, mental health, and physical activity knowledge and behavior. METHODS: Pre- and postsurvey data were collected (N = 2255) during the 2012-2013 academic year from 14 New York City public high schools. An 18-item knowledge questionnaire addressed 3 domains; 26 behavioral items were analyzed by factor analysis to identify 6 behavior domains, breakfast being a seventh 1-item domain. We examined the effects stratified by sex, applying mixed-effects models to take into account clustering effects of schools and participants adjusted for age. RESULTS: The HealthCorps program significantly increased all 3 knowledge domains (p < .05), and significantly changed several key behavioral domains. Boys significantly increased fruits/vegetables intake (p = .03). Girls increased acceptance of new fruits/vegetables (p = .03) and breakfast consumption (p = .04), and decreased sugar-sweetened beverages and energy dense food intake (p = .03). The associations between knowledge and behavior were stronger in boys than girls. CONCLUSION: The HealthCorps program significantly increased participants' knowledge on nutrition, mental health, and physical activity. It also improved several key behavioral domains, which are targets of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines to address obesity in youth.
Authors: Cynthia L Ogden; Margaret D Carroll; Lester R Curtin; Margaret A McDowell; Carolyn J Tabak; Katherine M Flegal Journal: JAMA Date: 2006-04-05 Impact factor: 56.272
Authors: Moonseong Heo; Camille C Jimenez; Jean Lim; Carmen R Isasi; Arthur E Blank; David W Lounsbury; Lynn Fredericks; Michelle Bouchard; Myles S Faith; Judith Wylie-Rosett Journal: BMC Pediatr Date: 2018-01-16 Impact factor: 2.125