Around the Table: Promoting Healthy Eating through Culture and Food
Grant Status: Completed
Training Category: Continuing Education (Knowledge to Practice)
Project Director(s):
John T. Richards, MA
Public Policy Institute
Georgetown University
2115 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W., Box 571273 STE 601
Washington, DC 20057
Phone: (202)784-9772
FAX: (202)784-9777
Email: richarjt@georgetown.edu
Problem:
1 in 3 youth are overweight/obese. The U.S. spends $150 billion/yr treating related diseases. Obesity is a problem among families with low incomes, minorities, and in underserved areas. This project will develop a curriculum using culture to promote healthy eating with an emphasis on diversity.
Goals and Objectives:
Goals and Objectives Goal 1: Transfer emerging information on nutrition, healthy eating, and nutrition concerns. Objective 1: Create an online module summarizing the state of nutrition among children and youth. Objective 2: Provide the latest information on developmental nutrition concerns. Goal 2: Develop culturally competent, family-centered strategies to address nutrition concerns. Objective 1: Develop a module on the role that culture plays in overweight and obesity. Objective 2: Create and maintain a toolkit of electronic resources. Goal 3: Present a strengths-based approach on communicating with families and communities. Objective 1: Create modules on communicating about food choices. Objective 2: Integrate strategies for communicating with different cultural communities. Goal 4: Promote information on the role culture can play in promoting healthy eating. Objective 1: Develop modules on MCH leadership competencies in advancing healthy eating. Objective 2: Integrate MCH leadership competencies throughout the curriculum. Goal 5: Engage MCH professionals and families through social media. Objective 1: Develop an online "Community of Learners" to share evidence-based knowledge. Objective 2: Use social media channels to stimulate discussion about nutrition topics.
Methodology:
Create modules designed to transfer information on nutrition and healthy eating. Develop an electronic toolkit of credible nutrition tools and resources. Develop a module designed to address disparities by presenting culturally competent, family-centered strategies to combat nutrition concerns. Write strengths-based modules to increase MCH professionals' leadership competencies by focusing on communicating with families and working within the community. Use social media to engage interdisciplinary professionals.
Coordination:
Multiple State Departments of Health; Medicaid staff; minority organizations; National Center for Cultural Competence; organizations representing CYSHCN.
Evaluation:
Evaluation will include: (1) usability testing; (2) state review; (3) online course feedback; (4) online testing; (5) follow-up surveys; and (6) Web statistics.
Experience to Date:
During this year of the project, staff developed drafts of core Around the Table modules based on nutrition and culture. A literature review was conducted, and key materials were added to an online toolbox for the project. Content from Celebrating Diversity: Approaching Families Through Their Food was updated and rewritten to be appropriate for an online format. Updated material from the forthcoming Bright Futures in Practice: Nutrition was reviewed and will be incorporated into the project after the print release of that publication. Staff also focused on integrating MCH Competencies throughout the draft curriculum.