Papers, Presentations & Final Reports
Peer Educators Use Child Nutrition Videos to Teach Low-Income, Low-literate, African American Parents and Caregivers
Authors: Teresa B. Kaley, RD, LD, Rebecca M. Mullis, PhD, RD, LD
Title: Peer Educators Use Child Nutrition Videos to Teach Low-Income, Low-literate, African American Parents and Caregivers
Presented at: The USDA Food & Nutrition Service National Nutrition Education Conference, Washington, DC, February 26, 2003
Abstract: Lovin' Spoonfuls is a two-video nutrition education program developed by the University of Georgia (UGA) to teach healthy eating practices for infants and toddlers aged birth to six years. The current project, "Broadening Diversity in Nutrition Education", was funded by the USDA Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program to reach low-income, African American parents/caregivers. The UGA researchers collaborated with inner-city Head Start programs to recruit low-income parents as peer educators. Eighteen African American women, living or working in Atlanta Housing Authority communities, were trained to serve as peer educators to other low-income parents/caregivers in their communities. Each peer educator attended a 4-hour training session using the Lovin' Spoonfuls videos and a low-literacy-level peer nutrition educator kit. Per educators were paid for each program they taught. Per educators taught 747 heard-to-reach participants (teen parents, single fathers/mothers, and custodial grandparents) in a 5-month period. SPSS analysis of pre- and post-knowledge tests showed an overall 40% increase in participant knowledge of healthy eating practices for children. UGA also conducted a focus group with 8 peer educators to evaluate program results. Peer educators reported personal benefits from the program (knowledge, self-esteem, job skills), described their participant recruiting methods, and recommended program improvements (teaching in groups of 4-5 parents, developing new handouts, and expanding the program to include children ages 7-13). Due to the positive impact of this program, UGA was asked to train 17 Head Start Family Service Assistants to use the peer educator curriculum to teach Head Start parents, thereby expanding program reach.
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