Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
Family Food and Fitness Fun Pack: A Pilot Study
Section snippets
Objective
To assess the overall influence and effect of the dose of the Family Food and Fitness Fun Pack (FFFFP) on dietary and physical activity behaviors and knowledge among students and parents.
Design, Setting and Participants
The study design involved pretest, educational intervention, and posttest 7 weeks after distribution of the FFFFP. One hundred twenty students and 79 parents from 6 elementary schools throughout Georgia participated.
Intervention
Each FFFFP included 6 activities and a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program booklet created by the United States Department of Agriculture. Participants from 2 schools kept the FFFFP indefinitely, whereas participants from 4 schools kept the FFFFP for 1 week.
Outcome Measures and Analysis
Participants completed study-specific questionnaires to assess dietary and physical activity behaviors and knowledge. Paired t tests were used to assess changes between baseline and follow-up.
Results
Students reported an increase in physical activity at school (P = .04) and a decrease in screen time (P = .04). Students also reported a decrease in fruit consumption (P = .01). Sex and school were associated (P < .05) with intake and knowledge. Parents reported increases in physical activity overall (P < .001) and with their child/children (P < .001). There were increases in the frequency of reading nutrient labels (P = .004) and the number of nutrients considered when purchasing a food (P <
Conclusions and Implications
Results of this study indicate that the FFFFP program can improve dietary and physical activity patterns among elementary school children and their parents. Evaluation of this program identified the need for increased training among teachers and changes for the measurement tools.
Funding
Policy Leadership for Active Youth in Georgia (036326-03).