Great Taste, Less Waste: A cluster-randomized trial using a communications campaign to improve the quality of foods brought from home to school by elementary school children

Abstract

Objective Great Taste, Less Waste (GTLW), a communications campaign, capitalized on the synergy between healthy eating and eco-friendly behaviors to motivate children to bring more fruits and vegetables and fewer sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) to school. Methods A cluster-randomized trial in Eastern Massachusetts elementary schools in 2011–2012 tested the hypothesis that GTLW would improve the quality of foods from home more than a nutrition-only campaign – Foods 2 Choose (F2C) – or control. Lunch and snack items from home were measured at baseline and 7 months later using digital photography. Mixed linear models compared change in mean servings of fruits, vegetables, and SSBs among groups, and change in mean prevalence of packaging type. Change in prevalence of food items of interest was compared among groups using generalized linear models. Results 582 third and fourth graders from 82 classrooms in 12 schools participated. At follow-up, no significant differences were observed between groups in change in mean servings or change in prevalence of items of interest. No packaging differences were observed. Conclusion GTLW was well-received but no significant changes were observed in the quality of food brought to school. Whether classrooms are an effective environment for change remains to be explored.

A Systematic Review to Assess Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Interventions for Children and Adolescents across the Socioecological Model

“…In seven of the one-group designs, the pre- and post-tests were administered to different samples 93–95,99–100,105, 107,126 . Nearly three-quarters of the interventions and policies (39; 71%) were implemented in schools or multiple settings including schools 46, 49–55, 57–64, 70–72, 76, 80, 86–102, 104–108, 110–111, 114–133 . Additional settings included home 66–67,109,112–113 (4; 7%), clinic 47–48,56,65,68–69,73–75,77–79 (7; 13%), and community-based organizations 81–85,103 (5; 9%).…”

“…Of these, 15 (79%) were conducted in countries similar in economic development to the U.S. 46,49–54, 57–60,62–64,77–79,106,115–124,127–129,133 . Twenty-two reported using a behavioral theory during development (40%) 46–54, 57–61, 64–68, 77–79, 82–83, 96–98, 110, 114–118, 121–124, 127–129, 133 . Finally, 21 (38%) reported focusing their programs or policies toward one or more at-risk groups: those of low socioeconomic status 54,108,120–124,133 (5; 9%), racial and/or ethnic minorities 47 (1; 2%), those who are overweight or obese 55,65,68,73–75,77–79,109,112,113 (8; 15%), those living in rural areas 56,72,98 (3; 5%), or multiple at-risk groups 66–67,81,84–85 (4; 19%).…”

Assessing the relationship between water and nutrition knowledge and beverage consumption habits in children

“…It must be noted, however, that although we identified a statistically significant association between high knowledge scores and healthier beverage consumption habits, the observed effects were small in magnitude and thus improvements in knowledge may not translate to clinically significant improvements in behaviour. Indeed, this may explain why education-only interventions to improve beverage consumption habits are often unsuccessful in the long term (26,28,(66)(67)(68)(69)(70)(71)(72)(73) . Further research is therefore needed to understand how to maximize the effect of education interventions in order to capitalize on the association between knowledge and behaviour.…”

The effectiveness of lunchbox interventions on improving the foods and beverages packed and consumed by children at centre-based care or school: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…A description of the included studies is shown in Table 1. Of the 10 included trials, three were conducted in the U.S., [31–33] three in U.K., [21, 34–36] two in Australia [37, 38], one in Mexico [39] and one in Israel [40]. Eight of the studies employed cluster randomised-controlled trial designs, [21, 31, 32, 34, 37–40] and two were conducted using quasi-experimental designs [24, 35]…”