Texas GROW! EAT! GO!
In collaboration with Texas AgriLife Extension Service and Texas A&M University, we will implement and evaluate the impact of 2 intervention programs (the Junior Master Gardner Program, and Walk Across Texas Program) designed to improve physical activity and eating behaviors of children at thirty-two CATCH elementary schools in Texas.
The overall goal of this Randomized Controlled Trial is to assess the efficacy of a Comprehensive School Health program (i.e. CATCH) enhanced with theory-based, family-focused, experiential garden, nutrition and/or physical activity programs on the prevalence of child obesity in 3rd grade students (n=1600 students in 32 schools). The home food and physical activity environments will be targeted through the following two Extension programs: 1) Revised version of Junior Master Gardener (JMG) Curriculum: Health and Nutrition From the Garden, and 2) Walk Across Texas (WAT). Schools will be randomized into 4 treatment conditions: CATCH only, CATCH plus JMG, CATCH plus WAT, or CATCH plus JMG and WAT.
Secondary goals are to determine:
- The effectiveness of Extension Master Volunteers in engaging parents and in maintaining family-focused interventions in schools,
- Overall cost benefit of interventions
- Improve learning outcomes in science, math and language arts
Impact of school-based vegetable garden and physical activity coordinated health interventions on weight status and weight-related behaviors of ethnically diverse, low-income students: Study design and baseline data of the Texas, Grow! Eat! Go!
(Evans A, Ranjit N, Hoelscher D, Jovanovic C, Lopez M, McIntosh A, Ory M, Whittlesey L, McKyer L, Kirk A, Smith C, Walton C, Heredia N, Warren J; BMC Public Health; 2016)
Previous gardening experience and gardening enjoyment is related to vegetable preferences and consumption among low-income elementary school children
(Evans A, Ranjit N, Fair CN, Jennings R, Warren JL; J Nutr Educ Behav; 2016)
Using Family-Focused Garden, Nutrition, and Physical Activity Programs To Reduce Childhood Obesity: The Texas! Go! Eat! Grow! Pilot Study
(Spears-Lanoix EC, McKyer EL, Evans A, McIntosh WA, Ory M, Whittlesey L, Kirk A, Hoelscher DM, Warren JL; Childhood Obesity, 2015)
