@article{2b3cadfba74d45d2a8b8189f8aff23c8,
title = "Healthy Planet, Healthy Youth: A Food Systems Education and Promotion Intervention to Improve Adolescent Diet Quality and Reduce Food Waste",
abstract = "Emerging evidence suggests a link between young people{\textquoteright}s interest in alternative food production practices and dietary quality. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a student-driven sustainable food systems education and promotion intervention on adolescent school lunch selection, consumption, and waste behaviors. Sixth grade science teachers at two middle schools (n = 268 students) implemented a standards-based curriculum on sustainable food systems, addressing the environmental impacts of food choices and food waste. The cumulating curriculum activity required the 6th grade students to share their food systems knowledge with their 7th and 8th grade counterparts (n = 426) through a cafeteria promotional campaign to discourage food waste. School-wide monthly plate waste assessments were used to evaluate changes in vegetable consumption and overall plate waste using a previously validated digital photography method. At baseline, the intervention students consumed significantly less vegetables relative to the control group (47.1% and 71.8% of vegetables selected, respectively (p = 0.006). This disparity was eliminated after the intervention with the intervention group consuming 69.4% and the control consuming 68.1% of selected vegetables (p = 0.848). At five months follow up, the intervention group wasted significantly less salad bar vegetables compared to the control group (24.2 g and 50.1 g respectively (p = 0.029). These findings suggest that food systems education can be used to promote improved dietary behaviors among adolescent youth.",
keywords = "food systems, school nutrition, food waste, adolescents, implementation science, Food waste, Food systems, School nutrition, Implementation science, Adolescents",
author = "Prescott, {Melissa Pflugh} and Xanna Burg and Metcalfe, {Jessica Jarick} and Lipka, {Alexander E.} and Cameron Herritt and Leslie Cunningham-sabo",
note = "Funding Information: This research would not have been possible without the expertise and efforts of the science teachers and nutrition services staff at the intervention schools. We also acknowledge the diligent efforts of the graduate and undergraduate researchers involved in data collection and digital photography analyses. We also appreciate the support and recruitment assistance from Meena Balgopal and the assistance from Pam Koch and Betty Wayman during the survey development process. In addition, we are indebted to Lynn Gilbert for her insight and feedback on how to tailor the curriculum to Northern Colorado middle schools. Finally, we also appreciate the late Stephanie Smith for sharing her validated digital photography plate waste methodology and data collection tools with us. While she may no longer be with us, her scientific contributions and our warm memories of her courageous, positive attitude and infectious laughter will live on indefinitely. Funding Information: Funding: This material is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2017-67012-28197. Any opinions, findings, or recommendations in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Additional funding for this research was provided by the Colorado School of Public Health. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Copyright: Copyright 2019 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",
year = "2019",
month = aug,
day = "11",
doi = "10.3390/nu11081869",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "11",
journal = "Nutrients",
issn = "2072-6643",
publisher = "Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)",
number = "8",
}