Progress 09/01/13 to 08/31/17
Outputs
Target Audience:Three Head Start centers in Somerset County (Princess Anne and Crisfield) and Wicomico County (Salisbury) with six 3 year-old classes per center. Each classroom size was approximately 17 students. A total of 306 students and 60 parents were involved. Approximately 95% of the children were African Americans, 4% Caucasians, and 1% Hispanic. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The Head Start teachers and teachers 'aids were trained on the curriculum. A comprehensive reinforcement tool was developed to ensure the sustainability of the project. Each year, approximately 40 caregivers at home (parents and guardians) were trained through the EFNEP program on healthy lifestyle, food safety, and food resource management. Preschoolers not only learned about healthy eating and exercise but they also gained knowledge of the origin of food through indoor gardening, and outdoor gardening in high tunnel. Most importantly, the preschoolers were able to share the messages learned at school with their caregivers at home. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results of this project were disseminated nationally and internationally through conferences presentations, seminars and publications What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
A comprehensive reinforcement tool was developed for sustainability. A center for obesity prevention serving preschoolers their siblings, and Caregivers (COP-SPSC) was developed. A website was developed.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
V Zoumenou, M Khan, D Ray, S Jayne. Empowering Preschoolers to Become Healthy Lifestyle Messengers through Stories Music Dance &Visual Tools. Presented at the 2017 AFHVS/ASFS (the Agriculture, Food, and Human Values Society (AFHVS) and the Association for the Study of Food and Society (ASFS)) annual conference. June 17-17th, 2017 Los Angeles, CA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
V Zoumenou, M Khan; D Ray; S Jayne. Empowering preschoolers to become healthy habits messenger through selected communication channels: stories music dance and magic tricks. Presented at the 21th International Congress of Nutrition; The International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS). Buenos Aires, Argentina. October 15-20th, 2017.
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
V Zoumenou, M Khan. Created a Center for Obesity Prevention for Preschoolers, their siblings, and Caregivers. www.1890umesnhprogram.com
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Progress 09/01/15 to 08/31/16
Outputs
Target Audience:Three Head Start centers in Somerset County (Princess Anne and Crisfield) and Wicomico County (Salisbury) with six 3 year-old classes per center. Each classroom size was approximately 17 students. A total of 306 students and 60 parents were involved. Approximately 95% of the children were African Americans, 4% Caucasians, and 1% Hispanic. Changes/Problems:No Changes/Problems What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Head Start teachers and cafeteria staffweretrained on the curriculum. Extension staff provided technical assistance as needed in all centers involved in the program. The traning is still in progress. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? A Website was created Several videos were created and shared with the USDA-NIFA; the International Fedration of Home Economics; and other Extension patners The president of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Dr. Juliette Bell willvisitthe program one more time in Spring 2017. This visit will indicate the success of the program. The success of the program was also shared through newsletters, peer reviewed articles, and conferences. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The transition period will be finiized and the project will be closed.The project will continue to focus on the development of the Center for Obesity Prevention serving Preschoolers, their Siblings and Caregivers. The team will continue publishing the results in peer review journals and through conference presentations.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
A transition periodis beingimplemented. A strategic plan for the transion was developed in collaboration with the Head Start Caregivers at home and at school. A reinforcement tool was developed in collaboration with the Head Start staff and coordinators.A Center for Obesity Prevention Serving Preschooleres, their Siblings, andtheir Caregiverswas developed. A 5-year strategic plan was also developed for the center. Outcomes/Impacts: During the fiscal year 2015-2016 we observed the following: A change in knowledge. The caregivers better understood the content and the teaching strategies of the curriculum. In terms of the gardening activities, the caregivers in all three centers experienced planting, transplanting and harvesting in the high tunnel. Their knowledge and skills in gardening also increased. This improvement will facilitate the transition. The preschoolers continued to learn more about the music and obesity prevention. Overall, the transition period was successfully initiated and is still in progress. .
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Zoumenou V, Ray D, Brown JS, Khan M. Engaging Preschoolers in Nutrition Education through Stories Music Dance and Magic tricks. IFHE 2016 Daejeon South Korea July 30- August 06-2016
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Progress 09/01/14 to 08/31/15
Outputs
Target Audience:Three HS centers in Somerset County (Princess Anne, MD and Crisfield, MD) and Wicomico County (Salisbury, MD) with six 3 year-old classes per center. Each classroom size was approximately 17 students. A total of 306 students and 60 parents were involved. Approximately 95% of the children were African Americans, 4% Caucasians, and 1% Hispanic. Approximately 60 parents were involved in the nutrition education sessions and in the focus groups. Changes/Problems:None What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?In all centers, teachers and cafetariat staffwere trained. In the 2014 Evaluation, Head Start Directors had already partially integrated the project into the Head Start program in Princess Anne, Maryland. The teachers in the new centers are also willing to include the curriculum in their program. An advisorycommittee, meeting with the Head Start Adminsitrators, continues developing a strategic plan for the sustainability of the project. The strategic plan is in progress. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? A video was created and shared with the USDA in January 2015. The video was also shared at The UMES Agriculture Day and in many other events and visits. Many visits were organized, andthe project was visited by the following: Dr. Qureshi, Dr. Woteki, and Dr. Palmar. Those visits indicated the success of the program. President Bell of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore also visited the program.. The success of the program was also shared through newsletters and peer reviewed articles. A Website was created. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?A transition period that will allow the Head Start programs to take over has been established and will continue. To ensure the sustainability of the project, the strategic plan will be finalized. The data of this program were collected only on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. We will applyfor another renewal in order to expand this project in an inner city (Baltimore city) and multicultural location (Prince Georges' County in Maryland), and in other states to confirm the results obtained in three centers on the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The research team had the opportunity to experiment with the curriculum ona diverse population in all three centers. At the family level, the program continued to train the parents through the EFNEP program at all Head Start Centers involved in the project. Parents from all centers reported that the preschoolers clearly communicated what they learned at school and that they were able to positively affect the food choices at home. Parents report that children are asking for and enjoying drinking water instead of juice; and, in some cases refusing juice even if it is available in the home and theparents are still drinking it. -Parents report that children are eating fruits and vegetables at home that they were previously unfamiliar with and/or did not like. We also observed in all centers that 3 to 4 year old children were impacting the food decision making at home. The preliminary analysis of the focus group indicated that parents were not aware of obesityb issues during they own childhood. As a household many factors influence their food deciions making, particularly value negociations and family dynamics. Overall, the program was successfully replicated in other centers. As obeserved in previous results, the childrenare affecting the family's food choices. More data analysis will be conducted during the fiscal year 2015-2016and more acrticles will be published.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
1-Zoumenou V; Ray D; Mclaughlin S. Determining the Validity and Reliability of the Food Preference Survey (PFPS-12) . ESJR, 2015 Volume 136 Issue 2.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
2-Zoumenou V, Gyawu R,Cecil M,Bennet L N . Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Storytelling Curriculum: Eagle Books Series among African American Children on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. EJSR
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Zoumenou V; DaSilva L; Gong T. Three Year-Old Head Start Preschoolers Learned and Shared positive behaviors with their caregivers at school and at home. Ann Nutr Metab 2013;63 (suppl.1): pp. 1050)
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Progress 09/01/13 to 08/31/14
Outputs
Target Audience: Target Audiences: Three HS centers in Somerset County (Princess Anne and Crisfield) and Wicomico County (Salisbury) with six 3 year-old classes per center. Each classroom size was approximately 17 students. A total of 306 students and 60 parents were involved. Approximately 95% of the children were African Americans, 4% Caucasians, and 1% Hispanic. Approximately 60 parents were involved in the nutrition education sessions and in the focus groups. Effort: In order to promote change in knowledge and actions, the following efforts were implemented. The Eagle books were read to them and physical activities were also conducted. The reading was supplemented with gardening and nutritious food demonstrations and preparations. Portion control and plate waste analyses were conducted with the intervention group. In addition, the EFNEP educators reached and provided the parents with eight nutrition education and physical activity sessions. The parents and the preschoolers were exposed to the gardening activities, such as indoor and high tunnel gardening activities. Family nights were organized at the intervention center. These events helped the preschoolers to show their caregivers what they learned from the project. Teachers were trained on the Eagle books series. They understood the contents of the Eagle books, and they were involved in all physical activities. To make the physical activities fun and instructive, the messages in each book were used to create songs that the preschoolers, teachers, and parents clearly enjoyed. The focus groups help to collect data on caregivers’ perception on childhood obesity and fruits and vegetable consumption during their own life course. In order to capture caregivers’ perception of childhood obesity during their own life course, four focus groups were conducted by four experts: a sociologist, a family expert, a psychologist, and an anthropologist. The external evaluator was also able to meet the parents, Head Start administrators, teachers, coordinators and cafeteria staff and collect their feedback on the project and their perception in terms of sustainability Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Head Start teachers were trained on the curriculum. New dietetic interns, and UMES students were trained on plate waste management methodology. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? 1-A video was created and shared with the community at the Ag-field day at the University of Maryland (September, 2014). It was also shared with the senior administrators at UMES. 2- The research team is planning to share this video with USDA in January 2015. 3-The weekly School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences seminar at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. October 30, 2013. 4- The Obesity in Children and Adults: Translating Molecular Mechanisms To the Mainstream, Baltimore, Maryland November 13,2013 5- Agriculture Field day at The University of Maryland Eastern Shore 6-The results will be shared with Zhejiang University (food science and nutrition department, and the school of public / department of disease prevention (December 15- 25, 2014). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? During the next reporting period we will establish a transition period that will allow the Head Start programs to take over. We will finalize the development of strategic plan that will help with the sustainability of the project.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The project was expanded in three centers. Data are being collected. The analysis is in progress. Focus groups were conducted by three experts: a family scientist, a sociologist, and an anthropologist as indicated in the proposal. However, to strengthen the expected outcome a psychologist was included in the focus group implementation. Approximately 60 parents participated. The Eagles Books series curriculum is being implemented in three centers. Approximately 300 children were reached. Parents are involved in EFNEP sessions Outcomes/Impacts: During the fiscal year 2013-2014 we observed the following: A change in knowledge The preschoolers increased their knowledge of the importance of fruit and vegetable consumption and a healthy lifestyle in general. They recognized the fruits and vegetables by their colors and to relate them to their specific name and to verbalize the consequences of eating too much sugar or too much salt and drinking too much soda as well as the benefit of eating fruits and vegetables, drinking water, and exercising the body. Preschoolers increased their knowledge of food origins through gardening, especially in the high tunnel. They are also learning the names of fruits and vegetables in Spanish. Classroom reading, discussion of concepts (Q & A with children), and a little acting and storytelling by project educators, were visibly appreciated and enjoyed by children, Head Start teachers (and the external evaluator). The children enjoyed performing and asked to repeat songs or requested additional songs that they had learned. Project staff members were innovative in adding new dimensions. For example, Ms. Diabetes with high sugar foods hanging from her scarf and children “pushing (her) diabetes away.” as they sang this phrase. As this was the first time the educator had tried this, she reported feeling a little “bad” with children pushing her away at first (as she was used to close positive relationship), but, it was quite successful with the children. Children experienced planting seeds in learning about growing vegetables during the inside gardening lesson in the classroom led by a guest teacher. They also put on their coats and mittens for another lesson, led by the on-site garden educator, and a seed planting experience in the high tunnel outside the Head Start building. They learned that seed can be planted inside or outside. You just need soil, water, sun or light, and seed. A change in actions: The preliminary data analysis just started. The results will be available by the end of the school year in June 2015. The focus group results are being analyzed and will be also available by the end of the school year in June 2015. The preliminary analysis indicated that some caregivers were not aware of the childhood obesity issues when they were younger. In addition fruit and vegetable consumption depends on the availability. During the fiscal year 2013-2014, the external evaluator indicated in the annual report changes in children and their families’ appreciation and consumption of fruits and vegetables as follows: -Parents report that children are asking for and enjoy drinking water instead of juice and in some cases refusing juice even if it is available in the home and perhaps parents are still drinking it. -Parents report that children are eating fruits and vegetables at home that they were previously unfamiliar with and/or did not like. -Parents and teachers report that they themselves are eating a wider variety of fruits and vegetables because of the secondary impact of the program. Teachers are aware that their appreciation and model for trying novel fruits and vegetables have an impact on the children. When they try them to be a good model they genuinely increase the repertoire of vegetables they like. -Parents report that their children ask for fruits and vegetables that they have been introduced to at the center. -Parents who talked with the external evaluator (self-selected and therefore cannot be considered representative of parents) indicated that they were very happy with the program, happy with their children’s requests for healthy food. In some cases parents are enjoying the fruits and vegetables added to their family menus, and other cases they are eating the new family foods to model for their children. Some parents reported not eating the new family foods themselves, but providing them for their children upon request. -Teachers report (independently at two different centers) hearing children talking with each other about the vegetable and fruits they have tasted. “I didn’t like cucumbers the first time I tried them, but now I like them.” Based on the preliminary results we are reaching the goal of this project, which was to help the children to understand the actions that need to be taken to avoid childhood obesity and related diseases and to share these messages at home with their caregivers. More data collection and analysis will be conducted during the fiscal year 2014-2015 in order to confirm the results obtained during the fiscal years 2010-2013. The grant was supposed to end in August 2015. However, we will apply for another renewal in order to expand this project to the US southern region and to other geographic areas in Maryland (inner city (Baltimore city) and multicultural city (Prince Georges’ County in Maryland) to confirm the results obtained in three centers on the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Publications/Conference papers and presentations
1-V Zoumenou, M Schwarz 2011: Enhancing diabetes prevention across culture: teaching black children using the Eagle Book series and gardening activities in Maryland Lower Eastern Shore Area. World Diabetes Congress, Dubai, UAE, December 04-08,2011.
2- V Zoumenou, L DaSilva, T Gong 2013: Three Year-Old Head Start Preschoolers Learned And Shared Positive Behaviors With Their Caregivers At School And At Home. 20th International Congress of Nutrition; The International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS). Granada Spain. 15-20th September 2013.
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