Differing Effects of Nutrition Education in Low-income Populations in Rural versus Suburban Students in Florida

The University of Florida/IFAS Extension Family Nutrition Program (FNP) is the implementing agency in Florida for the education component of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). FNP provides direct nutrition... [ view full abstract ]

The University of Florida/IFAS Extension Family Nutrition Program (FNP) is the implementing agency in Florida for the education component of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). FNP provides direct nutrition education and implements policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) changes in low-income communities in 40 counties in Florida in order to encourage behavior changes that decrease the risk for obesity and chronic disease. This study compares differences in self-reported nutrition and physical activity behaviors in youth in grades 3-5 (N=6720) before and after nutrition education and determines whether there are differences in behavior change based on the location of the schools (locales designated as City, Suburban, Town or Rural by the National Center for Education Statistics). We calculated change scores for each respondent’s behavior by subtracting the pre-test frequency from the post-test frequency. Improvement as a binary variable was also calculated to assess the percentage of students who improved of the students who could improve. Comparing students’ responses in the different locales, we found statistically significant differences in pretest scores in the days per week students reported consuming more than one type of fruit, drinking water and sugary beverages, playing hard for 60 minutes or more, and watching TV more than 2 hours. A lower percentage of rural youth exhibited the desired nutrition behaviors every day, but the rural youth scored better on the TV watching and exercise items than their city and suburban counterparts. Overall, rural youth had a greater percentage improving than did youth in other locales. We found statistically significant differences between locales when looking at the percentage of children who increased the number of days per week that they consumed whole grains and milk and the number of days per week they played hard for at least 60 minutes from pre to post. There were also statistically significant differences in the number of children who reduced the days per week that they consumed sugary beverages and the number of days per week they spent 2 hours or more watching TV. A one-way ANOVA found that there was a statistically significant difference between the change scores for vegetable, fruit, and sugary beverage consumption, physical activity, and time watching TV in the different locales. The post-hoc analyses showed that there were significant differences between the change produced in rural versus suburban students in fruit, vegetable, and sugary beverage consumption, as well as the number of days watching TV for 2 hours or more, with the rural youth exhibiting greater change in the desired direction in all cases. The results of this study suggest that youth in grades 3-5 participating in FNP in different locales exhibit different initial nutrition and physical activity behaviors. These results also suggest that series-based nutrition education improves nutrition and physical activity behaviors, more for students attending rural schools than other locales.