Improving Nutrition Through School and Community Gardens

Jill A Nolan, PhDAssistant Professor of Health EducationConcord University

KidStrong ConferenceCharleston WVJune 12, 2013

Childhood Obesity

• West Virginia has one the highest rates of Childhood obesity nationally

• An estimated 45.5% of WV 5th graders are overweight or obese (CARDIAC)

• Children in Rural areas have been found to be at increased risk for overweight and obesity (Patterson, 2004)

Obesogenic Environment

• Historically, Thin Population (Long, 2012)

• Elevated rates of Poverty

• How does the Environment in WV Support• Inactivity?• Poor Nutrition?

Fruits and Vegetables

• Essential for good nutrition• Struggle for children raised on

processed foods

•How to improve fruit and vegetable consumption?? • Increase Availability and Accessibility • School-based programs (Blanchette & Brug, 2005)

School Gardening Benefits

• Quantitative findings: • Fruit and vegetable consumption• Variety (Ratcliffe, et al., 2011)

• Science scores• Qualitative findings:• Pleased and motivated students• Improved school attitude and Price• Parent involvement • Community building (Blair, 2009)

Traditional School Gardens

• Located at the School• Built into the current curriculum (science and

Health)• Incorporate community involvement• Students are involved:• Soil health --Planting• Composting --Fertilizing• Plant selection --harvesting

Child Gardening Options

• Green House• Low tunnel• High tunnel

• Summer School

Child Gardening Options• Kids Garden Project (citation)• Kingwood WV• Children Grow Individual

Gardens

• Edible Forest Gardens• Mimic forest ecosystem• Grow food, fuel, fiber,

etc.

Child Gardening Options

• Daycare • Benefit of having children year-round• Target children during “picky” years

Influential factors• Teacher motivation

• Teacher knowledge

• Teacher experience

• Dedicated time

• Community involvement

Getting Started!

• Evaluate Available Space• Identify resources/partnerships• Check Soil Health• Design Challenge• Plant Palette• Build and use your garden (USDA’s People’s Garden Initiative)

Discussion Groups

• Daycare/Prek• Elementary•Middle/High School• Higher Education• Community

References • Blair, D. (2009) The child in the garden: An evaluative review of the benefits of school gardening. The Journal of

Environmental Education, 40(2), 15-38.• Blanchette, L. & Brug, J. (2005). Determinants of fruit and vegetable consumption among 6-12-year-old children

and effective interventions to increase consumption. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 18(6), 431-443. • CARDIAC. Retrieved on May 13, 2013 from: http://www.cardiacwv.org/results.php • Komosinski, M., Nolan, J., O’Hara Tompkins, N., Drake, B., et al. Growing Healthy Habits in Rural West Virginia

Communities: Evaluation of the Kingwood Kids Garden Project. Presented at the American Public Health Associations XXX annual meeting in Denver, , CO.

• Long, K. (2012) The Shape We’re In. Charleston Gazette, retrieved on May 13, 2013 from: http://www.wvgazette.com/News/theshapewerein/201202250085

• Patterson, PD, et al. Obesity and physical inactivity in rural America. J Rural Health, 2004. 20(2): p. 151-9.• Ratcliffe, M., Merrigan, K., Rogers, B., & Goldberg, J. (2011). The effects of school garden experiences on

middle school-aged students’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors associated with vegetable consumption. Health Promotion Practice, 12(1), 36-43.

• USDA’s People’s Garden Initiative. School Garden Checklist. Retrieved on May 13, 2013 from: http://www.letsmove.gov/sites/letsmove.gov/files/pdfs/LM%20School%20Garden%20Checklist_0.pdf

Pictures • http://voiceinthegarden.blogspot.com/2011/01/hoop-house-high-tunnel-polytunnel.html • http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/blanketing-the-garden-for-a-long-winters-slumber/ • http://www.goveganic.net/article157.html