Five A Day, The Rainbow Way: A Nutrition Education Toolkit For Elementary School Aged Children

Learning Outcome: Develop a nutrition educational toolkit based on Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) for obesity prevention among elementary school-aged children by improving determinants of fruit and vegetable intake. Background: Poor consumption of fruits and vegetables is a major contributing factor to childhood obesity, increasing the risk for chronic diseases later in life. There is a need for multicomponent nutrition educational tools to influence children to improve their eating behavior by increasing their awareness and self-efficacy. The current project describes the development of a 3-component toolkit for improving participants’ knowledge and values related to fruit and vegetable intake among 6-11-year-olds. Methods: Based on SCT, the toolkit consists of a classroom-based 10-minute animated video, an interactive worksheet with rewards, and a supplemental take-home infographic to reinforce the information provided. It was developed considering the target population's unique needs, including the color scheme, message content, attention span, reading, and comprehension levels. The tool will have a one-time implementation, with integrated constructs meant to increase awareness and self-efficacy related to fruit and vegetable consumption. Topics covered include the importance of fruits and veggies for health, eating the rainbow, daily serving sizes, and cooking/gardening information. Results: Pre-post surveys will measure fruit and vegetable-related knowledge and self-efficacy changes after the educational session. We are currently working towards implementation and evaluating its feasibility in schools. Conclusion: Future directions include developing lesson plans for continued exposure, measuring children's fruit and vegetable intake, and expanding program content to include teachers and parents.