Winneshiek County Nutrition & Fitness Program in the Parochial Schools

Problem:
In Winneshiek County, routine height and weight measurements for each child enrolled in the parochial schools are completed each fall by Luther College nursing students.  In fall of 2003, these data were used to determine the Body Mass Index (BMI) for each child.  Results showed that over 14 percent of all children enrolled in these schools were overweight or obese.
        
Response:
By Fall 2004, a collaborative effort between senior students in the Luther College nursing program, Public Health Nurses from Winneshiek County, Iowa State University Extension Nutrition and Health Field Specialist and Winneshiek County Extension Education Director, as well as the teachers in the four parochial schools in the county, had been formed to address the issues of nutrition and fitness for the almost 400 youth.
        
Individuals involved collaborated to provide an interactive and unique nutrition education program for children in grades K-8 attending the parochial schools during the 2004-05 school year.  Summarized below is a list of the groups involved and what each provided during the project:

• Iowa State University Extension provided nutrition and fitness education, as well as hands-on activities/lessons and resources to Luther College nursing students to use with youth and the public.  ISU Extension also coordinated the Food & Fitness Celebration Days at the end of the school year for all K-8 grade students and teachers.
• Luther College nursing students measured heights and weights of each student in September, planned nutrition and fitness lessons with homeroom teachers, and taught lessons on the various parts of the food pyramid each week throughout the school year.
• Public Health Nurses worked with the nursing students to help coordinate lessons and activities with the teachers and put together a Recipe Book that included recipes incorporating foods from the Pick-A-Better-Snack Bingo card program.
• Classroom teachers in each parochial school developed additional lesson plans that focused on various parts of the food pyramid, coordinating their lessons with the nursing student's presentations and they coordinated the Pick-A-Better-Snack Bingo card program.
• School food service personnel helped provide snacks and lunch menus that coordinated with the Pick-A-Better-Snack Bingo card program and they helped children learn about new foods and healthier choices for eating at school and at home.
• Community Resources (ISU Extension, Winneshiek County Commodity Groups, Master Gardeners, grocery stores, media, etc.) helped provide materials and food used by the teachers and nurses involved whenever possible.
• Parent volunteers assisted in implementation of the project and for support from home for trying new foods and making healthier snack choices.
• Students at all schools were actively involved throughout the project.

Impact:
Over 400 parochial students participated in the program, as well as 32 Luther College Nursing Students, teachers, food service staff, parents and local food producers by donating local foods for students to taste.  At the end of the year, teachers and parents reported an improvement in student's ability to identify and select healthy snacks and alternatives to junk food options, especially in relation to the Pick-A-Better-Snack program.
        
Through the Pick-A-Better-Snack program, students were exposed to a large variety of healthy foods through their classroom activities and by school lunch staff introducing a variety of healthy food choices.  Teachers, school lunchroom staff and parents reported a strong improvement in the student's willingness to try new foods, especially before the age of 6th grade.  Parents also became involved in the healthy food choices as part of this program, as one parent wrote at the end of the year, "I recommend the (Pick-A-Better-Snack) program continue.  What a wonderful program.  We enjoyed the Bingo and learned that new and different foods taste good, too."  Another parent reinforced the idea that wellness programs carry over into the home when she wrote, "We did most of the activities for Pick-A-Better-Snack as a family.  He already tries everything but some choices were not part of our regular eating.  It was fun to open choices of new foods to everyone!"  Due to the positive response to the program, the three parochial schools have requested not only the Pick-A-Better Snack program, but also more nutrition and fitness activities for the coming year.  The public schools also made the same request.  The program sponsors agree that this method of wellness education was successful and that integration of nutrition and fitness activities into the regular classroom curriculum helps students gain mastery over their own health and well-being.
        
This pilot nutrition and fitness program has been recognized throughout the state and nationally for its effectiveness.  It was the featured program at the Team Nutrition and Action for Healthy Kids In-service (July 21, 2005 in Ames, Iowa).  The program was also presented as a table top display at the "Preventing Childhood Overweight and Obesity Conference", (March 28-29, 2005 in Ames, Iowa).  An invitation has also been extended to present the program at the 79th Annual ASHA School Health Conference, Supersize Prevention:  Obesity, Diabetes and Other Critical Issues on October 19 - 22, 2005 in Burbank, CA.  Schools and organizations from multiple Iowa counties have requested information on how to replicate the program in their schools and communities.

Contact:
Brenda Ranum
County Extension Education Director, ISU Extension - Winneshiek County
911 S. Mill Street, Decorah, IA  52101
Phone 563-382-2949
Email ranum@iastate.edu

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