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New Mexico State University

2007 results

Program as Implemented:

Pretests on nutrition knowledge, activity level, and fruit and vegetable intake were administered to 183 students in the 6 treatment and 3 control groups in October, 2006. The program coordinator provided educational activities for the 6 treatment classrooms in the 3 participating counties throughout the school year. Activity equipment was delivered to treatment classrooms. Post tests were administered in May, 2007. Data were analyzed and results appear in the short term results section. Parent/ teacher newsletters were written, distributed throughout the year and evaluated. Evaluation results appear in the short term results section. Advisory board meetings composed of teachers, county agents, diabetes coordinator, and hospital representative were held to discuss the progress of the project, use of resources, and curriculum revision. Project personnel and advisory group members participated in a site visit in April, 2007. Twelve representatives from New Mexico attended the Annual CYFAR conference in Chicago in May, 2007, at which a poster presentation of the project was made. Two programs at NMSU, Fit Families and FSNEP (Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program) requested collaboration on program resources and the evaluation process from the Just Be It group.

Four nutrition and fitness field trip educational workshops which are designed to provide education and gain community support were conducted in September and October 2007. 489 students from 7 schools in the 3 participating counties participated. Pre/ post knowledge tests for the day long program were administered and showed a knowledge gain for the students. Treatment classrooms for 2007-2008 were identified and pretests were given to these groups. The 3 evaluation tools for the 2007-2008 program were revised based on first year feedback and were also translated into Spanish.

Progress on Integrating Community:

The Just Be It project is using the multi-systems programming approach to integrate the community into the program. Personnel work with multiple levels of the family and school system by providing education to parents and teachers of the primary audience, 5th grade students. 121 parents and teachers were sent 8 take home newsletters throughout the 2006-2007 school year. On the evaluation form for the newsletters, parents and teachers made comments about the program such as; they were pleased with the program and hoped the program would continue.

Community collaboration has been created by integrating the school community into the program. The Just Be It! program was introduced to the 3 participating communities by holding day-long field trips in September and October, 2007. A total of 489 fifth grade students were transported to 4 community sites for educational workshops on nutrition education, healthy snacks, and food safety. Community members such as parents, teachers, hospital personnel, and other professionals, volunteered to assist with coordinating activities for the workshops. Community collaboration has also been created by including other community members in the program planning process. Community members such as teachers, parents, and hospital personnel attended advisory board meetings which directed the activities of the program.

Progress on Integrating Technology:

The technical infrastructure for NMSU personnel is well established. Technical support, online training, and electronic collaboration are available through a variety of resources such as the NMSU Extension technical HELP support desk, e-source at www.cahe.nmsu.edu, CENTRA, e-mail, the Extension Home Economics web site www.ehe.nmsu.edu and the New Mexico CYFAR web site www.nmcyfar.org. The New Mexico CYFAR web site content, such as a power point presentation, on the Just Be it program at www.nmcyfar.org was developed and posted so that other professionals could access the information and eventually replicate the program. Everyone on the advisory group is online. The availability of computers, hardware, and software in public school classrooms is varies. In some schools, it was necessary to bring computers and other technical equipment needed to complete physical activities such as with the dance pads, while in other schools this technical support was available. Although some teachers welcomed the addition of technical equipment in their classrooms, other teachers did not want any resources left in their classrooms overnight.

Extension personnel participate in online training opportunities from CYFERNet and other sources. The latest software is used in program planning, development, and evaluation. A Jeopardy-type nutrition computer game was specifically developed by county agents to include Just Be It! program content and used with the students in order to increase nutrition knowledge.

Progress on Sustaining Program:

The Just Be It program has the good fortune of having continued and competent leadership from specialists and agents who have a long history with the program. Staff members are involved and integrated in all aspects of the program from curriculum development and evaluation to presenting at conferences. They are committed to the project and are realistic about community and university capacity to accomplish goals. Agents show an understanding of the community by recognizing diversity and creating evaluation tools and resources in English and Spanish.

Effective collaboration was demonstrated by including school personnel in planning and implementing educational field days for September and October 2007. Hospital and school personnel gained a greater understanding of the CYFAR philosophy by attending the Annual CYFAR Conference in May 2007. The NMSU FSNEP Youth Program and the Fit Families Program requested that the Just Be It program share evaluation tools. A partnership with these programs is useful in finding school partners, revising curriculum content, and developing effective evaluation strategies.

Evaluations are conducted on a regular basis and evaluation results have been used to modify the program's evaluation tools. Statistically significant project evaluations results have made the program successful and these findings have been disseminated in the following ways: Agents send a annual report as a thank-you to stakeholders; Poster sessions for the CYFAR 2007 Annual Conference and 2007 NAE4-HA were developed and presented; NMSU Cooperative Extension submitted the Just Be It! Program for a Regional Qualifying Program for the Western Extension Director's Award of Excellence in June, 2007; An NMSU press release was written and submitted to newspapers August 2007; A research article,"New Mexico's Just Be It! Healthy & Fit Obesity Prevention Program Increases Student Nutrition Knowledge"�, was submitted to the AfterSchool Review Journal August, 2007; A newspaper article, Just Be It! Encourages Health for Children"�, in the NMSU student newspaper, ROUNDUP, was published September 27, 2007.

Progress on Short Term Results:

1. Fifth grade students in three schools (one per county) will increase their knowledge level on nutrition education and physical activity during the school year

Number of participants in evaluation: 183 youth

Evaluation type: Pre/post test

When evaluation was conducted: Pretest in October, 2006 and post test in May, 2007.

Analysis: Pre/post knowledge test validity was established with a panel of 5 experts. The split half test for reliability for the knowledge test was .70. T-tests were used to analyze differences in control and experimental groups as well as pre and post test scores within each group.

Findings: An experimental research design showed that students increased their nutrition knowledge as a result of receiving nutrition classes during the school year. Sixty-two students in the control group and 121 students in the treatment group completed pre and post tests on nutrition knowledge. Control group subjects included 37 students from Rio Arriba County and 25 from Los Alamos County. A statistical analysis on the program data in the 1st year (2006-2007) showed that students gained knowledge on nutrition from the beginning of the school year to the end of the school year. The control group of students, who did not receive the nutrition classes, raised their test scores 0.7 points or 4%, while the test scores for students who received the nutrition classes went up 4.35 points or 27%. There was a statistically significant difference in knowledge gain between the control and experimental groups at the .05 level.

Implications: The Just Be It program increased nutrition knowledge for students. Using a control and experimental group verified that there was a statistically significant difference in the groups' nutrition knowledge as a direct result of receiving instruction from the program. This finding is especially important because it is the first step in documenting that the curriculum is evidenced-based. The knowledge test for 2007-2008 was written in both Spanish and English.

2. Fifth grade students in three schools (one per county) will increase their intake of fruits and vegetables during the school year.

Number of participants in evaluation: 183 youth

Evaluation type: Block Kids 2004 Food Frequency Survey

When evaluation was conducted: Pre-survey in October, 2006 and post survey in May, 2007

Analysis: A statistical program was designed by the statistician to determine the amount of fruits and vegetables eaten daily by the students. If the data had been usable, t-tests would have been used to determine pre and post survey differences.

Findings: Sixty-two students in the control group and 121 students in the treatment group completed pre and post surveys on the intake of fruits and vegetables. The data from the fruit and vegetable intake were not usable. Students could not accurately remember what they ate in the previous week. For example, some students reported that they ate 2 cups of broccoli every day for 7 days. Because this seemed highly unlikely, it was decided that the data were not reliable. Although it was disappointing to not use the data, this finding was critical in revising the evaluation instrument for food recall in 2007-2008.

Implications: It is expected that students will acquire knowledge about the role fruits and vegetables play in developing a healthy lifestyle and begin eating more fruits and vegetables. Capturing this kind of data must take into account the capacity of 10 year olds to remember accurately what they eat. Evaluation tools were redesigned and written in both English and Spanish. They will be used in 2007-2008.

3. Fifth grade students in three schools (one per county) will increase their physical activity during the school year.

Number of participants in evaluation: 183 youth

Evaluation type: Block Kids Physical Activity Survey

When evaluation was conducted: Pre-survey in October, 2006 and post survey in May, 2007
Analysis: A statistical program was designed by the statistician to determine the amount and type of physical activity by the students. If the data had been usable, t-tests would have been used to determine pre and post survey differences.

Findings: Sixty-two students in the control group and 121 students in the treatment group completed pre and post surveys on physical activity. The data from the physical activity survey were not usable. Students could not accurately remember what physical activity they did in the previous week. For example, some students reported that they walked to school for 3 hours per day, every day for 7 days. Because this seemed highly unlikely, it was decided that the data were not reliable. Although it was disappointing to not use the data, this finding was critical in revising the evaluation instruments for physical activity in 2007-2008.

Implications: It is expected that students will acquire knowledge about the role activity level plays in developing a healthy lifestyle and become more active. Capturing this kind of data must take into account the capacity of 10 year olds to remember accurately what physical activity they did. Evaluation tools were redesigned and written in both English and Spanish. They will be used in 2007-2008.

4. Teachers and parents of fifth grade students in three schools (one per county) will increase their knowledge level on nutrition education, how to promote nutritious food choices, and how to encourage physical activity for children during the school year.
Number of participants in evaluation: 121 parents and teachers

Evaluation type: Retrospective post survey

When evaluation was conducted: The survey was administered in May, 2007.

Analysis: The survey was a numerical rating of knowledge level before the program started and rating of present level of knowledge related to program activities. A frequency distribution was used to compare pre/post scores.

Findings: In order to provide nutrition knowledge to families for the Just Be It! program, 8 newsletters were given to fifth grade students in the 3 counties of Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, and Santa Fe. Students took the newsletters home to their parents during the school year of 2006-2007. An evaluation tool which asked parents to rate their knowledge before and after reading the take-home newsletter was developed. These rating sheets were distributed to 121 children to take home in May, 2007. Students were asked to give the evaluation to their parents to complete and return them to their teacher. Teachers from the 6 participating classes in the 3 counties were also asked to complete the form. An incentive of being entered into a drawing for a $50 gift certificate was provided from an anonymous donor to encourage parent participation in the evaluation. The return rate for newsletter evaluations was 26% (n=32). Parents showed an increase in knowledge as a result of receiving newsletters at home. Results from all 3 counties showed that the percentage of parents and teachers who reported knowing a little about nutrition knowledge before reading the newsletter ranged from 19 to 58%. The percentage who reported knowing a lot after reading the newsletters ranged from 84 to 100%. There was a knowledge gain reported as a result of distributing the 8 newsletters. In addition, almost everyone wrote comments about the program. Comments about the program were: "My child liked the healthy snacks and physical games. My child learned to eat healthier. I wish the classes could have been longer and more of them. Now when we go to the store we buy more vegetables. Good program, I wish there could be more programs like this."

Implications: As parents and teachers increase their knowledge about the value of nutrition in developing a healthy lifestyle, they can more effectively help youth develop a healthy lifestyle.

Progress on Long Term Results:

The New Mexico Extension System will integrate the Just Be It! Healthy and Fit Program into education programs which are offered statewide.

Number of participants in evaluation: 30 Extension Agents

Evaluation type: County reports and program evaluation data

When evaluation was conducted: Evaluations will be conducted in Spring, 2009.

Analysis: A frequency count from county reports will show the number of agents who deliver the program to audiences. Evaluation data from program participants will be collected and analyzed.

Findings: As a result of statewide trainings on the Just Be It! Program and access to the program website, it is expected that one-third of the county agents will offer the program in their county and show positive results for youth.

Implications: As more agents deliver the program, more youth will develop a healthy lifestyle, thus reducing risk factors for obesity. The Just Be It program increased nutrition knowledge for students. Using a control and experimental group verified that there was a statistically significant difference in the groups' nutrition knowledge as a direct result of receiving instruction from the program. This finding is especially important because it is the first step in documenting that the curriculum is evidenced-based.