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Community Projects
Current Projects
Completed Projects
2010
Using Technology to Effect Change in the Nutrition Behvior of Families with Preschool Children
A Facebook intervention for parents of preschool children administered through their daycare provider. Results available upon request.
Childhood Physical Activity and Nutrition Grant
- PLAY: The Status of School-Based Nutrition Education and Physical Activity at the State Level - Anne McWaters
- A follow-up study to one conducted for the CDC in 1992, this project will examine the current status of school-based nutrition education and physical activity at the state level for each state in the U.S. Results from the survey will be compiled and be available upon request for those interested.
- 2008
Being Healthy the Write Way - Caree Jackson, Ph.D.
A variety show intervention project aimed at increasing healthy food choices and physical activity in middle school innercity youth. Funded by the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation.
Results available upon request.
Lil' Red Ridin' Thru 'Da 'Hood: A Childhood Obesity Prevention Play - Caree Jackson, M.S.
A theater based nutrition and physical activity intervention for elementary school aged inner city youth. Funded by the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation. Results available on request.
Dietary Assessment and Focus Groups
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2003
My Food Choices.com - A Web-based Dietary Assessment Tool
Kimberly M. Gibson, MEd, MHS, RD, LD; Marilyn H. Hughes, PhD, RD, LD; Rebecca M. Mullis, PhD, RD, LD
University of Georgia, College of Family and Consumer Sciences, Department of Foods and Nutrition 2003 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nutrition Education in Philadelphia; Technology Demonstration Session with Poster
Dietary Assessment in Minority Adolescents
Leslie M. Rodriquez, RD, LD
The project was completed in Hall County, Georgia in June 2004.
Focus Group Interviews:
Or, "If you build it, will they come?"
In the movie, Field of Dreams, an omnipotent voice tells Kevin Costner, "If you build it they will come". Nutrition educators fall into the trap of believing that if they develop nutrition education materials or programs, their messages will be heard, accepted, and acted upon. That only works in the movies. Before your audience will listen to you, you must listen to your audience, and that is what focus groups are all about. In fact, focus group research is fundamentally important to creating successful health promotion programs.
The staff of the UGA Community Nutrition Intervention Lab develops nutrition and physical activity intervention programs and educational materials for diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic status communities. Each project begins with an assessment of the community's culture and needs. In addition to collecting quantitative data, such as morbidity, mortality, and demographics data, we gather qualitative data through focus group interviews with community members.
Briefly, focus group interviews are facilitated discussions involving 7-10 community participants led by a trained moderator. A skillful moderator makes the group feel comfortable and creates a relaxed, permissive atmosphere that encourages open dialogue. Participants feel empowered to voice their quality of life concerns and share ideas about ways that nutrition and physical activity programs can respond to those concerns. At times, focus group interviews are used in combination with qualified survey tools in order to determine the range and extent of various opinions. After enough focus groups are held within a community to ascertain a consensus of opinions, data from all the focus groups are analyzed and used to design the intervention program and educational materials. Following the developmental stage, additional focus groups are conducted to pre-test the program concepts and materials. Based on feedback from the evaluation focus groups, the program and materials are modified accordingly to assure that they are culturally appropriate and meet the needs of the community. Which is to say, if you have listened to your audience and built your program to meet their needs, they will be more likely to come, hear, and act on your message. For more detailed information about planning, conducting, and evaluating focus group research, contact a member of the UGA Community Nutrition Intervention Lab staff or view the related website listed below:
http://www.tc.umn.edu/~rkrueger/focus.html
A Tu Salud! -A nutrition education program for Georgia's low-income Latino families
Georgia's Hispanic population is growing at an extremely rapid rate, and research indicates that striking health disparities exist between Latinos and other groups in the population. People of low socioeconomic status, such as many of Georgia's Latinos, experience worse health than those of higher socioeconomic status for almost every major cause of mortality and morbidity. This project addressed these health inequities by developing a culturally appropriate basic nutrition education program and influencing public policy using the "Latino Family Community Health Advisory Council." The nutrition education program trained and empowered Latinos and those working with Latinos in the Hall County, Georgia area. The program was a transcreation (cultural adaptation and translation) of the Nutrition Intervention Lab's already existing Wellness First program. It stressed the same basic messages, such as increasing activity and fruit and vegetable consumption, reading food labels, and reducing fat in the diet. The study showed that a culturally appropriate nutrition messages will help Hall County's Latino population decrease their risk for some diet and health-related chronic diseases. It also indicated that working with the Council on a statewide level will influence public policy dealing with Latino health.
This program's funding ended in September 2003.
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Wellness First
A nutrition education program addressing low-income women and their families. The program focuses on six areas:
1. Overall Health
2. Fat
3. Dining Out
4. Food Labels
5. 5 a Day
6. Physical Activity
The purpose of Wellness First is to demonstrate that a comprehensive community approach to prevention oriented nutrition, screening, case management, and community support in low-income women and their families will improve nutrition behaviors and modify chronic disease risk factors. The program impacts low-income women and their families and food stamp and health professionals. Program materials designed for WF include: a six-week class series using visual images and supporting text with literacy level at the third grade or lower, a Peer Nutrition Education Manual for non-nutrition professionals who work with low-income families, and a website with handouts and recipes.
Culinary Kids - As part of the Wellness First Program, Culinary Kids targeted children of food stamp recipients. The class included fundamentals in reading a recipe, kitchen and food safety, and demonstrations of healthy recipes. The children were encouraged to participate in the recipe preparation and to taste items demonstrated. The children also received Wellness First handouts and recipes and are encouraged to use them at home.
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Fit to Eat
The purpose of Fit to Eat was to encourage healthy nutritional and environmental choices in local community food service establishments in Floyd County, Georgia. The goals of the program included providing nutritional and environmental support and reinforcement for patrons who wished to adopt a healthy eating pattern, promoting the selection of healthy menu items by patrons, and providing patrons with opportunities to try low fat foods. Fit to Eat was a collaboration between the University of Georgia Department of Foods and Nutrition, the Georgia Department of Human Resources, Northwest Georgia Health District including Chronic Disease Prevention, Tobacco Use Prevention, Nutrition Program Environmental Health, and Floyd County Health Department.
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Wilkes Wild about Wellness
Wilkes Wild about Wellness is sponsored by the Georgia Center for the Prevention of Obesity and Related Disorders (GCORD), a joint project of the University of Georgia and the Medical College of Georgia.
In 2002, GCORD conducted a community-based health assessment in Washington-Wilkes. The health assessments revealed that 81% of the Washington-Wilkes participants met the criteria for overweight and or obesity (Body Mass Index of 25 or higher), compared with the national rate of 64%. Focus groups and key-informant interviews revealed the majority of participants expressed concern over the high incidence of cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes in the community. Most were also concerned with the increasing incidence of obesity among children and adults and attributed this trend to consumption of fast food and inactivity. The data suggested also that the majority of the community participants frequently consume high fat foods but reported a willingness to change their eating habits.
Health assessments were also completed at the local public schools in Washington. These assessments revealed that 19% of the subjects were at risk of becoming overweight and 27.7% were overweight. A large percentage of participants had undesirable health conditions and risks for cardiovascular disease. Participants also had an undesirable pattern of physical activity, i.e., lack of daily physical activity and spending a lot of time watching TV.
Upon completion of these health assessments, a Community Leader Task Force (CLTF) was assembled to help determine the most appropriate programs for implementation. The CLTF meets on a quarterly basis and includes community representatives from the following local organizations: Family Connection, Department of Family and Children Services, Wills Memorial Hospital, Wilkes County Health Department, Chamber of Commerce, Mayor's Office, First Baptist Church, First United Methodist Church, Wilkes County School District, Parks and Recreation, Fievet's Pharmacy. The CLTF named the program Wilkes Wild about Wellness.
Wilkes Wild about Wellness was implemented in January, 2003 and includes the following nutrition and physical activity initiatives:
- Nutrition/healthy lifestyle classes at a variety of locations in the community
- Working with the local grocery stores to offer health promotion activities such as healthy cooking demonstrations
- Working with local restaurants to offer healthier options
- Community walking clubs
- Self-directed walking programs
- Promotion of physical activity in local schools
- Quarterly newsletters mailed or emailed to interested community members
- A health section for the local newspaper that includes healthy recipes, articles on nutrition and physical activity, and current community activities
- Health messages for church ministers
- Creation of word-of-mouth health messages
- Establishment of safe, lighted walking areas and biking trails
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Bringing it Home Healthy Generations
A USDA funded program developed to increase the intake of fruits, vegetables, and Low-Fat foods within low-income African American 4th grade children and their families.
This project was completed in 2005.
- Lovin' Spoonfuls
This program focused on healthy eating practices for Hispanic and non-Hispanic infants and toddlers; participants include Child Care Providers, Parents and other care givers.
The Heart Nutrition Program - This program aimed at increasing the consumption of dietary fiber and low-fat foods within African American Church members.
Women's Health Issues - The intent of this study was to ascertain the opinions of women ages 40 years old and above concerning women's health issues and the medical services received in the community in Georgia.
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