Garden-enhanced intervention improved BMI, nutrition knowledge of California students
The Shaping Healthy Choices Program (SHCP) was implemented in four schools in two California districts, with 179 fourth grade students (aged 9-10 years) serving as controls and 230 as part of the intervention group. During the program, which extended over one academic year, students engaged in classroom nutrition education enhanced by gardens established at the schools, harvested vegetables for cooking demonstrations, and shared the harvest with their families. In addition, newsletters corresponding to lessons were sent home, health fairs were held at school, salad bars were installed in schools, and school wellness committees were established. As a result of SCHP implementation, students participating in the intervention demonstrated significant improvements in nutrition knowledge and vegetable identification compared to control students. However, vegetable preference and fruit and vegetable intake did not improve, nor did general or dietary parenting practices significantly c...