Effectiveness of the Apprenti en Action School-based Culinary Program on 9-10-year-old Children's Food Literacy and Vegetable and Fruit Consumption
Effectiveness of the Apprenti en Action School-based Culinary Program on 9-10-year-old Children's Food Literacy and Vegetable and Fruit Consumption
In New Brunswick, Canada, only 53% of Kindergarten to Grade 5 students reported eating five or more vegetables and fruits per day in 2016-2017. Low intakes of vegetables and fruits are a marker for poor nutrition, which may impair the growth and cognitive development of children and adolescents and may put them at risk of developing certain non-communicable diseases earlier in life. It has been suggested that increasing children's food literacy may be an effective way of promoting healthier diets, including increasing vegetable and fruit intake among students. Since children spend most of their waking hours at school, this may be a key setting for promoting food literacy and healthy eating behaviors. Previous studies have found that culinary interventions that include taste testing and nutrition education may improve students' food literacy and vegetable and fruit consumption. Therefore, this quasi-experimental study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a school-based culinary program titled "Apprenti en Action" on primary school children's food literacy, breakfast, and vegetable and fruit consumption. Specifically, data were collected among Grade 5 students from ten francophone elementary schools, five of which received the "Apprenti en Action" program and five who did not. The "Apprenti en Action" program consisted of six, one-hour culinary workshops given once a week, at school, during school hours. Data on students' food literacy, breakfast, vegetable, and fruit consumption were collected via online questionnaires before and after the program. In addition to collecting quantitative data, qualitative data were collected from program participants and their parents to assess their perceptions of "Apprenti en Action".
This study used a quasi-experimental design. Quantitative data from Grade 5 students from five francophone elementary schools in the province of New Brunswick, Canada, who participated in the "Apprenti en Action" culinary program were compared to those of Grade 5 students from five other elementary schools who did not receive the program. "Apprenti en Action" consists of six, one-hour culinary workshops offered once a week during school hours. The program aims to teach students how to read and follow recipes, prepare and cook various foods using various culinary techniques, and apply food safety practices. Students are also taught the basics of healthy food, nutrition, and cooking.
A questionnaire was developed based on previously-validated questionnaires and it measured vegetable and fruit consumption, breakfast consumption, concepts of food literacy including food and cooking skills as well as nutrition knowledge. All students will complete this self-administered online questionnaire before and after the program. Multilevel regressions will be used to assess the effectiveness of the culinary class on students' food literacy, breakfast, vegetable, and fruit consumption. Additionally, focus groups with children who participated in the "Apprenti en Action" program and their parents will be invited to share their perceptions of the program and how/if it has impacted the children's food literacy and eating behaviors.
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