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Nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and fruit and vegetable intake as predictors of Head Start teachers' classroom mealtime behaviors

Description:
Objective: To examine the association between nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and fruit/vegetable intake among Head Start teachers and their classroom mealtime behaviors (self-reported and observed). Design: Cross-sectional design using observation and survey. Setting: Sixteen Head Start centers across Rhode Island between September, 2014 and May, 2015. Participants: Teachers were e-mailed about the study by directors and were recruited during on-site visits. A total of 85 participants enrolled through phone/e-mail (19%) or in person (81%). Main Outcome Measures: Independent variables were nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and fruit/vegetable intake. The dependent variable was classroom mealtime behaviors (self-reported and observed). Analysis: Regression analyses conducted on teacher mealtime behavior were examined separately for observation and self-report, with knowledge, attitudes, and fruit and vegetable intake as independent variables entered into the models, controlling for covariates. Results: Nutrition attitudes were positively associated with teacher self-reported classroom mealtime behavior total score. Neither teacher nutrition knowledge nor fruit/vegetable intake was associated with observed or self-reported classroom mealtime behavior total scores. Conclusion and Implications: There was limited support for associations among teacher knowledge, attitudes, and fruit/vegetable intake, and teacher classroom mealtime behavior. Findings showed that teacher mealtime behavior was significantly associated with teacher experience. (author abstract)
Resource Type:
Reports & Papers
Country:
United States
State(s)/Territories/Tribal Nation(s):
Rhode Island

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