- Author: Deepa Srivastava
- Author: Vikram Koundinya
- Author: Angie Keihner
- Author: Michele Nicole-Byrnes
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A ten month pilot program in Kings County addressed the obesity crisis among parents of young children through nutrition education and Bailoterapia Dance Exercise.
The Issue
Many rural communities in California are finding inspiring solutions to the obesity crisis by leveraging local community strengths to promote healthy living. Kings County in California is largely a rural county with 80% of SNAP-Ed adults overweight or obese. The Corcoran Family Resource Center (FRC) located in Kings County identified a need to improve nutrition education and physical activity awareness among the parents of young children.
How UC Delivers
This need stimulated the CalFresh Healthy Living-UC program (CFHL, UC) to collaborate with Corcoran FRC and Family Healthcare Network (FHCN) to develop and initiate a 10-month pilot to address this obesity issue by providing weekly spotlight nutrition education and Bailoterapia dance exercise lessons to adults and parents of young children. This pilot initiative concluded in April 2019. The CFHL, UC program implemented the nutrition and dance exercise classes and identified a promotora, community champion, to sustain the dance classes at the Corcoran FRC site. FHCN supported the promotora's liability responsibility and conducted free health screenings. Corcoran FRC provided access to the site for physical activity classes and childcare while parents attended dance classes. Participants' goals and intentions were measured using intent-to-change surveys on a variety of healthy eating and active living topics: food groups, breakfast, sweetened beverages, fruits, vegetables, dairy, grains, portion size, fast food, and physical activity. Additionally, CFHL, UC administered and piloted the pre-post Adult Physical Activity Survey (APAS) with 8 adult participants to evaluate physical activity (PA) behaviors. Moreover, at the conclusion of the pilot, two focus groups were conducted with dance exercise participants (n=13) and key community partners (n=7). All program participants were female, predominantly Spanish speaking, and primary caregivers of young children. The Social-Ecological Model and SNAP-Ed Evaluation Framework were utilized to design the research and tailor evaluation questions for the various levels of anticipated outcomes at the individual and environmental levels.
The Impact
Of the 141 intent-to-change surveys completed, 83% of participants not already practicing the promoted behavior indicated their intention to do so within the next week. The APAS pilot findings were very promising with increases from pre to post in Bailoterapia participants meeting the PA guidelines for moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (25% point gain) and muscle strengthening (38% point gain). Additionally, the majority of the Bailoterapia participants reported improvements from pre to post in the number of days they exercised for 30 or more minutes (50%; ½ a day more) and built or strengthened muscles (63%; 1¼ days more), as well as the frequency of making small changes to be more active (63%; gaining 1.13 on a 5-point scale, p<.05). Due to the small sample only one statistically significant result was observed.
The focus group findings of the participants and community partners highlighted program effectiveness and benefits. These included improvements in participant's knowledge, skills, attitude, and behavior about nutrition and physical activity. One participant shared the benefits of participating in the program: “I also suffer with anxiety, and going [to this program] I have fun dancing, I enjoy it, I sweat, and it makes me feel like I have a lot of energy. And I've also kept an adequate weight and nutrition.”
For community partners, program success was attributed to organizational capacity, expertise, and funding; program monitoring and evaluation; free childcare and health screenings; and being sensitive to participants' cultural-social norms and values. The UCCE Nutrition Educator shared, “As a consequence [of the nutrition and exercise weekly classes], the ladies look forward to Fridays. One of the ladies said, 'I didn't come last Friday, and it threw my whole week off.' So, that's how much it's on their mind now that they're expecting -- looking forward to -- that day of physical activity.”
Overall, program effectiveness and benefits included community partnerships coming together to sustain health promotion efforts and participants and their families adopting healthier lifestyles. For example, one participant mentioned, “[M]y husband was suffering with high cholesterol, so when I started coming to the classes, it was a way to communicate to him how he should help himself. And during that time, he started to change his nutrition. He lowered his cholesterol numbers a lot. So, when he went back to his new appointment with his doctor, the doctor was surprised [at] what he had done to lower his cholesterol so much.”
Through its strong community partnerships, UC ANR improved community health and wellness in Kings County, contributing to the public value of promoting healthy people and communities.
- Author: Chutima Ganthavorn
- Author: Emma McKellar
- Author: Marlyn Pulido
- Contributor: Michele Byrnes
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UC-led partnership resulted in over 29,000 pounds of fresh produce being distributed to 900 students and limited resource families in Coachella in 2018. More than a quarter of participants reported being more food secure.
The Issue
The desert city of Coachella has a population of 6,919. Seven-hundred and sixty-one residents do not live within 10 miles of a supermarket or have a car, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Research Atlas. In an effort to increase healthy food access and close the food gap in the area, CalFresh Healthy Living at University of California (CFHL-UC) teamed up with Food In Need of Distribution (FIND) Food Bank to bring fresh produce to the students and families of Cesar Chavez Elementary School.
How UC Delivers
CFHL-UC partnered with FIND in 2018 to bring CalFresh enrollment support and food donations to nutrition class participants at the Coachella Valley Adult School. In the spirit of partnership, CFHL-UC introduced FIND to Cesar Chavez Elementary School with the hopes of bringing more resources to families in the area. With staff and teacher support at Cesar Chavez Elementary, CFHL-UC delivers a spectrum of services to help influence individuals to live healthier lifestyles including nutrition and physical activity education for both children and parents using evidence-based curricula (Go, Glow, Grow; Plan, Shop, Save, Cook; and Coordinated Approach to Child Health). Environmental and policy efforts include Smarter Lunchrooms Movement resources to increase student breakfast/lunch participation, local school wellness committee collaboration to offer wellness policy support, and this recent partnership with FIND Food Bank to increase access to fresh produce.
The Impact
“When I bring the food home, my mom is happy because she does not have to go to the grocery store.”
– 3rd Grade Student at Cesar Chavez
As a result of the UC-led partnership and collaboration, FIND Food Bank made Cesar Chavez Elementary a food distribution site for their summer food donations. This included five events, with an average of 150 families attending, which helped feed an average of 690 people in 2018. Cesar Chavez was the highest attended distribution site that FIND serviced in 2018. Due to this success and need, FIND now provides monthly food distribution for the students at Cesar Chavez Elementary School. This year, FIND distributed over 29,000 pounds of fresh produce for 900 students to take home and share with their families. CFHL-UC staff highlighted the produce by supplying recipe cards from EatFresh.org for families to be able to make nutritious, easy, and inexpensive meals.
In addition, CFHL-UC helped increase food security and healthy living for program participants by teaching food resource management skills. Participants in the Plan, Shop, Save, Cook series reported making behavior changes such as planning meals ahead of time (44% of 124 survey respondents), comparing unit prices (40%), shopping with a grocery list (35%), and using Nutrition Facts to make food choices (54%). Importantly, 27% of participants were less likely to run out of food before the end of the month. This program is one example of how UC ANR improves food security, contributing to the public value of safeguarding abundant and healthy food for all Californians. CFHL-UC aims to continue working in Coachella and collaborating further with FIND Food Bank to increase access to healthful foods at other sites in need.
- Author: Mary L Blackburn
- Author: Katherine Uhde
230 seniors at seven low-income senior housing sites, became active gardeners after participating in UCCE Alameda wellness interventions and UC Master Gardener trainings.
The Issue
The Center for Disease Control reported in 2017, older adults accounted for 22% of the U.S. population, surpassing children and adolescents aged 0–14 years (19%). Therefore, California is turning gray. UC ANR research emphasizes the need for senior-friendly prevention strategies to promote health and well-being among this fast growing segment of the population group. The human connection to plants and nature as a source of self-expression, sensory stimulation, wellbeing, physical function, quality of life, and socialization, is encouraged for this group.
How UC Delivers
UC ANR research found senior housing elders had higher rates of nutrition and lifestyle related diseases (Blackburn 2010). As staff planned on-site nutrition and wellness interventions, they considered gardening as an activity to stimulate interest and encourage participation of tenants regardless of physical abilities, literacy, language, and energy levels. The goal was to address inactivity, social isolation, access, participation, and healthy nutrition and lifestyles. Low-maintenance container gardening accommodated frail and disabled seniors, providing opportunities for all residents to participate in the gardening experiences despite physical, environmental, or other barriers.
The Impact
After 25 UC Master Gardner trainings and gardening maintenance activities, 110 seniors planted garden plots, and 120 for the first time planted container herb gardens. To launch the gardening activities in May of 2018, 199 of 624 seniors completed garden pre-assessments. Seniors completing the assessment showed 97 had never attended a nutrition, physical activity, or gardening workshop; 92 had not used container gardens; and 119 did not have a plot in the on-site community gardens. Over a one-year period, 230 seniors participated in fall and spring planting seasons, and are now planning for a third season. As a result of their participation and effort, the number of garden plots has tripled. Additionally, thirty percent of participants trained by UC Master Gardeners went on to volunteer as peer-educators and gardening ambassadors.
Studies have shown that gardening provides multiple ways to improve health and wellness such as lessening a sense of loss; providing opportunities for creativity, self-expression, social interaction and sensory stimulation; increasing self-esteem, practicing fine and gross motor skills, and improving eye-hand coordination. (D'Andrea, Batavia, & Sasson, 2007); (DL Armstrong, 2000), (Park, Shoemaker, & Haub, 2009). All tenants had an opportunity to participate in the gardening activities which also increased cross-cultural interaction, and peer-to-peer English language learning. In these ways UC ANR is promoting healthy people and communities.
- Author: Chutima Ganthavorn
- Editor: Andra Nicoli
- Contributor: Marlyn Pulido
- Contributor: Jackie Barahona
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UC-led partnership resulted in a successful “Breakfast on the Playground” campaign for Coachella Valley Unified Child Nutrition Services, increasing school breakfast participation at Cesar Chavez Elementary from 29% to 50% of student population.
The Issue
Cesar Chavez Elementary School located in Eastern Coachella Valley is a school with high needs facing several challenges including high poverty, food insecurity, and childhood obesity. According to Lift to Rise's Neighborhood Data for Social Change, almost one in five of the residents live below 100% of federal poverty level in 2017. The percentage of free or reduced price meals at this school is 87%, and 37% of students fall in the overweight/obese category.
How UC Delivers
To champion student health and wellness, CalFresh Healthy Living at University of California (CFHL, UC) has been a strong partner with the instrumental Cesar Chavez Elementary School Wellness Committee. Formed six years ago under the direction of former Principal Robert Hughes and chaired by Dr. Megan Greene, the school wellness committee contributed to the Coachella Valley Unified School District Wellness Policy. CFHL, UC started the school's partnership with FIND Food Bank which led to regular food distributions to students and the school community last year. At one of the school wellness committee meetings early in 2018-2019 school year, the Coachella Valley Unified (CVUSD) Child Nutrition Services Director Marcus Alonzo announced that the District had received a USDA grant to implement school breakfast at ten school sites. All of the schools in CVUSD have more than 50% students receiving free/reduced price meals and are qualified for SNAP Education. The grant also provided funding for program promotion and Alonzo sought assistance to complete this objective before the end of the school year.
In response, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources News and Outreach in Spanish (UC ANR NOS) with Director Ricardo Vela proposed a marketing campaign that involves ten 30-second videos, nine radio spots in two radio stations, and a two-minute interview that runs in the Univision's morning show called Despierta Palm Springs every day for a month. UC ANR NOS also produced 12 videos to be posted two each week on Facebook by Univision, one of which can be found here: Breakfast on the Playground video.
The campaign aimed to promote the new “Breakfast on the Playground” carts that were implemented at ten school sites. The video production highlighted CFHL, UC educators Marlyn Pulido and Jackie Barahona, food service staff, teachers, and students from Cesar Chavez and Saul Martinez elementary schools. The key messages were to increase awareness about the importance of eating breakfast and to encourage students to participate in school breakfast. CVUSD Child Nutrition Services Department was interviewed by a local broadcasting station about the campaign and the interview ran during the local morning news. Social media coverage was targeted by zip codes surrounding the ten schools. No Kid Hungry, a part of the nonprofit organization known as Share Our Strength, later joined in and supported two Twitter and Facebook ads featuring videos produced by UC ANR NOS.
The Impact
"I see that the children who participate in the breakfast program pay more attention during class."
- Mr. Lomeli, 4th Grade teacher at Cesar Chavez Elementary
Twitter reported 94,363 video views for the two ads run in March 2019, two weeks each. Facebook had a larger number of reach. Through the four-week campaign via Facebook, the videos reached more than 200,000 people and had an engagement of 55,000 people among males and females ages 25-45 years. CFHL, UC estimated that at least 50% of student population or 465 students at Cesar Chavez were reached by the "Breakfast on the Playground" campaign. Breakfast participation at Cesar Chavez increased from about 29% to 50% of student population. Dora Juarez, the Principal at Cesar Chavez Elementary, was recognized for going above and beyond to make school breakfast possible for kids in need and inducted into No Kid Hungry's 2019 School Breakfast Hall of Fame.
During 2018-2019 school year, Cesar Chavez enrolled 141 students from seven kindergarten to third grade classes in CFHL, UC nutrition education. All of the participating teachers either strongly agreed or agreed that more students can identify healthy food choices and are more willing to try new foods at school. Fear of trying new foods has been associated with lower intake of fruits and vegetables in children. In addition, research studies have shown that eating breakfast is associated with improved student concentration and school performance. This project highlights how partnership between UC ANR programs and school food service improves health for all as well as improves food security among students, contributing to the public values of promoting healthy people and communities and safeguarding sufficient, safe, and healthy food for all Californians.
- Author: Marianne Bird
75% of 4-H teens who taught the Youth Experiences in Science Project to younger youth reported more confidence in public speaking and all felt they had made an important contribution to their community through the project.
The Issue
In 2015, only 38% of 4th grade students in the U.S. scored at or above proficient in science. The gap in science literacy is especially prominent for youth of color. The need to improve scientific knowledge and critical thinking is pressing as these young people are the decision-makers and problem-solvers of tomorrow.
California communities also need active, involved citizens of all ages. Through service-learning projects, youth see themselves as leaders, learn to appreciate the value of contributing to their communities, and strengthen their skills for the workforce. The future of our workforce, and our communities, depends on a science literate and engaged citizenry.
How UC Delivers
During the 2018-19 school year, 17 teenagers delivered the 4-H Youth Experiences in Science Project (YES Project) to 334 five to eight year-olds attending afterschool or summer programs in Sacramento. The 4-H YES Project, created by UC ANR through a National Science Foundation grant, is a teen-led curriculum designed to engage younger youth in inquiry and discovery. It is both a science education program for children and a service-learning opportunity for teenagers.
After attending 10 hours of training and equipped with science kits and enthusiasm, teen volunteers led weekly science sessions to encourage children to ask questions and seek answers through observation and experimentation. Utilizing bubbles, snails, worms, and recyclables, teenagers averaged two hours a week working in teams with peers and an adult coach to organize and deliver their lessons. They committed to one semester (though many volunteered for a year or more) and taught at nine sites, all in schools where at least 50% of students qualified for free or reduced lunches. Sixty-five percent of youth who participated were African American or Hispanic.
The program encourages problem-solving and an interest in science. For teens, it provides new experiences, a chance to make a real difference in their communities, and opportunities to explore potential career choices.
The Impact
Feedback from teens and their coaches indicate that young program participants look forward to the YES Project. “The kids get so excited when they see us,” said one teen when asked about her favorite part of the program, “and that's so sweet!” In addition, as a result of their YES experience, 75% of teens reported feeling more confident in public speaking and 66% said they had improved their planning skills. All reported feeling as though they had made an important contribution to their community.
Research shows that such civic engagement for teenagers is positively associated with gains in education attainment and income. It also suggests that “among youth, volunteering plays a valuable role in shaping how youth learn to interact with their community and develop the skills, values and sense of empowerment necessary to become active citizens.” In this way, UC ANR increases effective public leaders and civic engagement, contributing to the public value of developing a qualified workforce for California.
