Progress 09/01/18 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience is Head Start families - that is, parents/caregivers with children 3-5 years old (preschoolers) at/below 100% of the federal poverty level (according to Head Start income eligibility criteria). Primary race/ethnicity of families is non- Hispanic Black and White, as well as Hispanic. Changes/Problems:The primary challenge of the project was devising a response to the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown. As indicated previously, we took the opportunity to develop and test 3 different modes of delivery of the program: in person, online, and hybrid. This has allowed us to compare the cost-effectiveness of the 3 modes, laying the groundwork for a future larger scale-up study. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?There were multiple opportunities for students/staff to engage in training and professional development relating to programming, evaluation, research, and/or presentation of findings across the life of the 5 year program. YR1. Students: 1 post-doc (research); 2 MS students in nutrition (programming, evaluation, research); 5 undergraduate students (programming, evaluation); 10 dietetic interns (program delivery, evaluation). Staff: 3 community partners (program delivery, evaluation, research). YR2. Students: 1 post doc (research, presentation of findings); 2 MS students and 1 PhD student in nutrition (programming, evaluation, research, presentation of findings); 3 undergraduate students (programming, evaluation); 11 dietetic interns (programming evaluation). Staff: 5 community partners (program delivery, evaluation, research). YR3: Students: 1 post doc (research, presentation of findings); 2 MS students and 2 PhD students in nutrition (programming, evaluation, research, presentation of findings); 4 undergraduate students (programming, evaluation); 8 dietetic interns (programming evaluation). Staff: 5 community partners (program delivery, evaluation, research). YR4: Students: 2 MS students and 1 PhD student in nutrition (programming, evaluation, research, presentation of findings); 4 undergraduate students (programming, evaluation); 3 dietetic interns (programming evaluation). Staff: 4 community partners (program delivery, evaluation, research, presentation of findings). YR5: Students: 1 MS student and 1 PhD student in nutrition (programming, evaluation, research, presentation of findings); 2 undergraduate students (programming, evaluation, research); 1 Dietetic intern (programming, evaluation); Staff: 4 community partners (program delivery, evaluation, research, presentation of findings). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Across the life of the 5 year project, findings were shared with our community partner and community advisor board via regularly established meetings. In addition, results were presented at local and national (including CYFAR) meetings during all 5 years of the projects. 4 graduate theses were produced as well. 1 paper was published in a peer-reviewed manuscript (sub-study results). And a manuscript is in preparation that will present the final findings from the project. See complete detail in Citations section. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
YR1: Completed once monthly pilot testing of the 8-week Simple Suppers (SS) program at one Head Start site, along with data collection. Developed and launched advisory board committee; met on quarterly basis. Established regular team meetings (OSU and community partner). YR2: Initiated scale-up of SS at the 3 Head Start sites. Prior to launch, conducted a 2-day training (8 hours total) for staff and students. Pre- and post-program evaluations occurred in coordination with all programming delivered. Process evaluations occurred in sync with all programming to date, including fidelity via program specific checklist and videotaping. Other emphases included developing/implementing: Social media (Facebook; Instagram; Pinterest); Texting (connect with caregivers); Qualtrics for tracking attendance and collecting data electronically via ipads; Protocol for assessing program fidelity via videotaping; Continued work of advisory board; Continued regular meetings of research team, investigators, community partner. YR3: COVID-19 shutdowns began, and programming/evaluation stopped (3/12/20). Using a community-engaged approach, we developed/delivered an abbreviated (4- vs 8-wk) remote version of SS; evaluation did not occur during this timeframe. Took lessons learned from the 4-wk pilot and expanded it to an 8-week online program that was delivered during the 2020-2021 academic year. Core components (caregiver education; child education; family meal) of SS were adapted to an online format. We a) utilized e-methods that families were accustomed to using in local Head Start programs and elementary schools (Google Classrooms; Zoom; YouTube videos) for the educational component; b) enhanced the educational components with a supplemental program-specific weekly magazine ("SS Digest"); c) created a weekly meal kit delivery for the family meal component ("SS Chef's Crate"); and d) added an additional week to programming (8 to 9) to orient families to the new online format. Data collection occurred in-person with staff and participants both wearing PPE. We continued meeting with the community advisory board, and having regularly scheduled meetings - albeit remotely. YR4: While the SS online programming/evaluation continued, and with the prospect of schools reopening in fall 2021, we developed a hybrid version of Simple Suppers. This was an evidence-informed process whereby we examined the process and participant outcomes data from past in-person and online sessions of SS, and chose the most effective parts; this led to a new hybrid mode of delivery of SS, termed, "teach one, do one." On wk 1, families attended in-person and engaged in hands-on/interactive educational activities led by a SS teacher ("teach one"). On wk 2, families receive the tools they needed to implement what they learned in programming at home ("do one"). The process repeated until the end (wk 8). Note: on weeks families learn remotely, SS educators called families to touch base, walk through key learning objectives. The first session of hybrid programming was launched (and completed) in fall 2021. One of the process data collected throughout the project was cost of programming, thus we were positioned to begin a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing results from the three different modes of delivery (in-person, online, hybrid) to identify the most efficient and effective 'version' of the program to be scaled-up in a future larger study. We also continued meeting with the community advisory board, and having regularly scheduled meetings. YR 5: Delivered/evaluated SS hybrid throughout the year. Continued cost-effectiveness analysis. Continued meeting with the community advisory board, and having regularly scheduled meetings.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
May L, Sharn A, Hopkins LC, Kennel JA, Gunther C. (2019) The Southside Simple Suppers Scale-Up (S4) Study: Baseline Findings from Initial Pilot Testing. Poster presentation, Ohio State University, (1) College of Education and Human Ecology Research Forum and (2) Russell Klein Symposium, Columbus, Ohio.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Gupta S, Gunther C. (2020) Perceptions of Online Grocery Shopping Using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Electronic Benefit Transfer Card. Poster presentation, Society of Nutrition Education and Behavior Online
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Walther A, May L, Sharn A, Westrick M, Pannell C, Gunther C. (2020) Childrens food preparation skills and involvement in meal preparation with their caregiver among families participating in a Head Start family meals program (Simple Suppers). American Society for Nutrition Online
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Sharn A, May L, Walther A, Gunther C. Southside Simple Suppers Scale-Up (S4): Effects of a Family Meals Program on Caregiver Outcomes. (2020) American Society for Nutrition Online
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
May L, Sharn A, Walther A, Westrick M, Pannell C, Gunther C. (2020) Southside Simple Suppers Scale-Up (S4): A Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Trial Evaluating a Childhood Obesity Prevention Family Meals Program. American Society for Nutrition Online
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Walther A, Gunther C. (2021) Household Food Security Among Head Start Families During COVID-19: Preliminary Results from the Simple Suppers-Gone Online (SS-GO) Study. Oral presentation, Ohio State University, Russell Klein Symposium
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
OPiela D, Walther A, Gunther C. (2021) Social Support Among Head Start Caregivers During COVID-19: Preliminary Results from the Simple Suppers-Gone Online (SS-GO) Study. Poster presentation, Ohio State University, Denman Research Forum, Columbus, Ohio
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Pannell C, OPiela D, Sharn AR, Schier H, Knopp M, Gunther C. (2021) Simple Suppers - Gone Online (SS-GO): Feasibility of a family meals program transitioned from in-person to online in the COVID-19 pandemic. American Society for Nutrition Online.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Knopp M, OPiela D, Schier H, Schwierking S, Pannell C, Gunther C. (2022) Characterizing the Diet Quality of Family Meals Served at Home Utilizing the Healthy Meal Index: A Descriptive Study Among Head Start Caregivers. American Society for Nutrition Online.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Gunther C, Pannell C, Knopp M, OPiela D, Schwierking S, Schier H, Breitenstein S, Chang M-W, Militello LK, Lin CJ. (2022) Preliminary Results from the Simple Suppers Scale-Up Intervention Study. Poster presentation, The Obesity Society, San Diego, CA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Knopp M, OPiela D, Schier H, Schwierking S, Pannell C, Gunther C. (2022) Characterizing the Diet Quality of Family Meals Served at Home Utilizing the Healthy Meal Index: A Descriptive Study Among Head Start Caregivers. OSU Russell Klein Symposium Online.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Pannell C, Knopp M, OPiela D, Schwierking S, Schier H, Gunther C. (2022) Comparing the Effectiveness and Implementation of a Family Meals Program in Three Delivery Modes: Preliminary Results from the Southside Simple Suppers Scale-Up Study. OSU Russell Klein Symposium - Online.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Gupta S, Mayer E, Schwierking W, Westrick M, Schier H, Sharn A, Pannell C, Gunther C. (2023) Online Grocery Shopping and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Electronic Benefit Transfer Card (EBT): Perceptions of Head Start Caregivers. Ecol Food Nutr.
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
The Ohio State University, Department of Human Sciences, MS Nutrition Leah May, 2018-2020. Thesis Title: Southside Simple Suppers Scale-Up (S4): Results of a Type Two Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Trial of an Evidence-Based Family Meals Program.
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
The Ohio State University, Department of Human Sciences, MS Nutrition Amy Sharn, 2018-2020. Thesis title: Southside Simple Suppers Scale-Up (S4): Effects of a Family Meals Program on Caregiver Outcomes.
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
The Ohio State University, Department of Human Sciences, MS Nutrition Cara Pannell, 2020-2022. Thesis title: Comparison of Effectiveness and Implementation of a Family Meals Program in Three Modes: Implications for the Southside Simple Suppers Program.
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
The Ohio State University, Department of Human Sciences, MS Nutrition Miriam Knopp, 2021-2023. Thesis title: Characterizing the Dietary Quality of Family Meals of Head Start Participants.
|
Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience is Head Start families - that is, parents/caregivers with children 3-5 years old (preschoolers) at/below 100% of the federal poverty level (according to Head Start income eligibility criteria). Primary race/ethnicity of families is non- Hispanic Black and White, as well as Hispanic. Changes/Problems:COVID-19 caused us to pivot all project activities to being online or remote. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Students/trainees on the project in year 4 included: 1. Undergraduate students: Sierra Schwierking (Health Sciences), Devin O'Piela (Biomedical Sciences), Krithika Chetty (Public Health), Shiva Induri (Public Health); 2. Dietetic interns: Katherine Bonay, Delaney Feighan, Allison Pamper; 3. Graduate students: Cara Pannell (2nd year MS student), Miriam Knopp (1st year MS student), Heather Schier (1st year doctoral student). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Presentations from year 4 included: 1. Pannell C, O'Piela D, Sharn AR, Schier H, Knopp M, Gunther C. Simple Suppers - Gone Online (SS-GO): Feasibility of a family meals program transitioned from in-person to online in the COVID-19 pandemic. American Society for Nutrition - Online; 2. O'Piela D, Walther A, Gunther C. (2021) Social Support Among Head Start Caregivers During COVID-19: Preliminary Results from the Simple Suppers-Gone Online (SS-GO) Study. Poster presentation, Ohio State University, Denman Research Forum, Columbus, Ohio. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Year 5 of the project will involve a full offering (fall, winter, spring) of Simple Suppers in its hybrid delivery mode to families enrolled at the three participating Head Start sites (Southside, Moler, Watkins). As conducted in years 1-4, the pre- and post-program evaluation will occur synchronously with programming, and rely on a mixed methods approach (survey and direct measures; focus group interviews). The process evaluation will occur throughout programming and include an assessment of program response rate, attendance, fidelity, and acceptability. We will also continue the sub-study (comparing families participating in Simple Suppers with those not participating). In addition, we will also devote time/effort to continuing to do a deep dive analysis of process and participant outcomes data from previous years (1-4) to identify the most efficient and effective delivery mode (or version) of Simple Suppers: in-person vs online vs hybrid. Results from this analysis will inform a future larger scale-up study of Simple Suppers in the Head Start setting. Another major emphasis of year 5 will be dissemination of findings (e.g., adoption and implementation outcomes as well as nutritional health outcomes (short term: knowledge, skills, preferences, self-efficacy; long term: healthy eating patterns and family mealtime routines and home food environment, as well as social support and family cohesion) - not only to our community partners and at local professional meetings (Russell Klein Symposium at OSU), but national meetings (i.e., ASN) and peer-reviewed articles (e.g., JNEB, JAND, Childhood Obesity). Year 5 will also involve continued investment in training: 1. Undergraduate students: Krithika Chetty (rising senior in Public Health program) and Shiva Induri (rising senior in Public Health program); 2. Dietetic internship students from the incoming class of 2022-23 (5 or more) (to be named); 3. Graduate students: Miriam Knopp (2nd year MS Student); 4. Program staff: Sheniece Lattimore (Program Assistant), Heather Breedlove (Educator), and Lavita Williams (Educator). We will also continue to invest our time and effort in our quarterly stakeholder meetings, and other work meetings related to the project.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Due to COVID-19, winter and spring 2021 sessions of the Simple Suppers program were offered online (i.e., Simple Suppers-Go Online (GO)). As reported in the previous year's annual report, the core components (caregiver education; child education; family meal) of Simple Suppers were adapted to an online format. Specifically, we decided to a) utilize e-methods that families were accustomed to using in local Head Start programs and elementary schools (Google Classrooms; Zoom; YouTube videos) for the educational component; b) enhance the educational components with a supplemental program-specific weekly magazine ("Simple Suppers Digest"); c) create a weekly meal kit delivery for the family meal component ("Simple Suppers Chef's Crate"); and d) add an additional week to programming (8à9) to orient families to the new online format. Data collection occurred in-person with staff and participants both wearing PPE. With the prospect of schools reopening in fall 2021, we invested the summer months in developing a hybrid version of Simple Suppers. This was an evidence-informed process whereby we examined the process and participant outcomes data from past in-person and online sessions of Simple Suppers, and chose the most successful or effective parts; this led to a new version or mode of delivery of the Simple Suppers program - that is, a hybrid version whereby participants alternate coming in-person and engaging online, from week to week. We have termed the new hybrid format, "teach one, do one." On week one of the program, families attend in-person and are engaged in hands-on and interactive educational activities led by a Simple Suppers teacher ("teach one"). Then on week two of programming, families receive the tools they need to implement what they learned in programming at home ("do one"). And the process repeats until the end of the 8 weeks of programming. Importantly, on the weeks families learn remotely (i.e. "do one" weeks), Simple Suppers' educators call families to touch base, walk (talk) through key learning objectives. The first session of hybrid programming was launched (and completed) in fall 2021. We are in process of conducting a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing results from the three different modes of delivery (in-person, online, hybrid) to identify the most efficient and effective 'version' of the program to be scaled-up in a future larger study. The Kruskal-Wallace test (similar to an ANOVA) will be used for the comparison analysis. Preliminary results were submitted in abstract form to the American Society for Nutrition's 2022 annual meeting (online). Last year, we also launched the use of a new tool (i.e. the Healthy Meal Index or HMI) to determine the dietary quality of meals served at home. Sixteen caregivers enrolled in this sub-study. 81.3% of caregivers identify as Black. The mean (SD) caregiver age was 31.6 (8.9) years, 93.8% were female, and 43.8% were low-income. All meals provided at least one vegetable and protein source. 93.75% of meals contained a convenience food. No meals contained whole grains, and only 12.5% of meals provided a whole fruit. Results will inform our efforts in year 5 of the grant. Finally, we launched a sub-study to compare families who participate in Simple Suppers versus those who don't, allowing a stronger study design and ability to draw stronger scientific inferences.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Knopp M, OPiela D, Schier H, Schwierking S, Pannell C, Gunther C. (2022) Characterizing the Diet Quality of Family Meals Served at Home Utilizing the Healthy Meal Index: A Descriptive Study Among Head Start Caregivers. American Society for Nutrition Online.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Under Review
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Gunther C, Pannell C, Knopp M, OPiela D, Schwierking S, Schier H, Breitenstein S, Chang M-W, Lin CJ, Militello LK. Preliminary Results from the Simple Suppers Scale-Up Intervention Study. Under review at Obesity 2022.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Knopp M, OPiela D, Schier H, Schwierking S, Pannell C, Gunther C. (2022) Characterizing the Diet Quality of Family Meals Served at Home Utilizing the Healthy Meal Index: A Descriptive Study Among Head Start Caregivers. OSU Russell Klein Symposium Online.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Pannell C, Knopp M, OPiela D, Schwierking S, Schier H, Gunther C. (2022) Comparing the Effectiveness and Implementation of a Family Meals Program in Three Delivery Modes: Preliminary Results from the Southside Simple Suppers Scale-Up Study. OSU Russell Klein Symposium - Online.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Pannell C, OPiela D, Sharn AR, Schier H, Knopp M, Gunther C. (2021) Simple Suppers - Gone Online (SS-GO): Feasibility of a family meals program transitioned from in-person to online in the COVID-19 pandemic. American Society for Nutrition Online.
|
Progress 09/01/20 to 08/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience is Head Start families - that is, parents/caregivers with children 3-5 years old (preschoolers) at/below 100% of the federal poverty level (according to Head Start income eligibility criteria). Primary race/ethnicity of families is non-Hispanic Black and White, as well as Hispanic. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Students/trainees on the project in year 3 included: 1. Undergraduate students: Sierra Schwierking (Health Sciences), Abbie Miller (Human Nutrition), Alison Uhlick-Richman, Devin O'Piela (Biomedical Sciences); 2. Dietetic interns: Beth Schneider, Miriam Knopp, Rachel Green, Colleen Bailey, Salma Alsibai, Audrey Clement, Natalie Hill, and Emily Gable; 3. Graduate students: Leah May (2nd year MS student), Amy Sharn (2nd year MS student), and Ashley Walther (2nd year doctoral student), Heather Schier (1st year doctoral student); 4. Pediatric research fellow: Dr. Shivani Gupta (Nationwide Children's Hospital). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results have been disseminated to the following communities of interest: Columbus Urban League; Molina Heathcare; Cardinal Health Foundation; Grant Medical Center; Children's Hunger Alliance; Columbus Public Health; and MidOhio Food Bank. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Year 4 of the project will involve a deep dive analysis of process and outcomes data from previous years (1-3) to inform the design/delivery of a hybrid version of Simple Suppers, to be delivered in fall 2021, winter 2021/2022, and spring 2022. The aim will be to have developed a program that is maximized in terms of its efficiency and effectiveness. As conducted in years 1-3, the pre- and post-program evaluation will occur synchronously with programming, and rely on a mixed methods approach (survey and direct measures; focus group interviews). The process evaluation will occur throughout programming and include an assessment of program response rate, attendance, fidelity, and acceptability. Another major emphasis of year 4 will be dissemination of findings (e.g., adoption and implementation outcomes as well as nutritional health outcomes (short term: knowledge, skills, preferences, self-efficacy; long term: healthy eating patterns and family mealtime routines and home food environment, as well as social support and family cohesion) - not only to our community partners and at local professional meetings, but national meetings (e.g., ASN and SNEB) and peer-reviewed articles (e.g., JNEB, JOE). Year 4 will also involve continued investment in training: 1. Undergraduate students: Krithika Chetty (rising junior in Public Health program) and other (to be named); 2. Dietetic internship students from the incoming class of 2021-22 (5 or more) (to be named); 3. Graduate students: Cara Pannell (2nd year MS Student) and Miriam Knopp (1st year MS Student); 4. Research fellow: Dr. Shivani Gupta will continue through end of 2021; 5. Program staff: Sheniece Lattimore (Program Assistant), Heather Breedlove (Educator), and Lavita Williams (Educator). We will also continue to invest our time and effort in our quarterly stakeholder meetings, and other work meetings related to the project.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The report for year 2 of this 5 year CYFAR project was submitted on 2/18/20. As indicated in that report, at the time the report was submitted (2/18/20) we were offering winter Simple Suppers programming at one site (Southside) and prepping to expand to a second site for spring programming (Moler). Shortly after (3/12/20), COVID-19 related school shutdowns began to occur, and thus programming and the accompanying evaluation stopped (3/12/20). Specifically, we completed winter programming, however some but not all of the post-program evaluation occurred. And Simple Suppers spring programming (in person), did not occur. Instead, using a community-engaged approach, we developed/delivered an abbreviated (4- vs 8-week) and remote version of Simple Suppers to families who had registered for spring Simple Suppers. This was launched on 4/13/20, and each week was devoted to a different topic around family meals: Week 1: Making Family Mealtime Fun & Connecting with Your Child; Week 2: Timesaving Strategies & planning Family Meals on a Budget; Week 3: Planning Well-Balanced Family Meals; Week 4: Making Healthy Cooking Easy & Tasty Prior to the launch of the online 4-week version of Simple Suppers, we communicated the revised plan with families via phone, text, and email. We also delivered a 'care package' to families that included non-perishable food items related to Simple Suppers programming (to be delivered on social media), kitchen/cooking utensils, and nutrition-related reading and activity workbooks for children. The 'care package' also contained a hard copy letter explaining the (detailed) plan for the upcoming 4-weeks of programming, which included: 1. Weekly mailings (sent to both home address and email) with a letter sharing the programming plan for that week (received on Sun); 2. Social media postings. Specifically, for caregivers we developed/delivered short program-related videos (created by Simple Suppers staff) posted 3 times per week (1-2 min video on Mon, 3-5 min video on Wed, and 6-10 min video on Fri), as well as programming related healthy tips posts on Tues and Thurs. For children, we developed/delivered short (5 min) weekly videos related to programming (food preparation) via Youtube; 3. Texting to caregivers once weekly (Tues) to touch base and encourage them to continue engagement with programming activities on social media; 4. One-time Simple Suppers Digest magazine covering program (education) topics, and including program-related activities for children. After we completed the 4-week online version of Simple Suppers (5/9/21), we invested the summer in developing plans (via community-engaged approach) for 3 different types of versions of Simple Suppers for the upcoming academic calendar year, which is similar to what schools/school teachers were tasked with doing in light of the ongoing pandemic shutdowns: 1) in-person; 2) remote; and 3) hybrid. In early 8/2020, in line with Columbus City Schools and Columbus Head Start, we made the decision to deliver programming for the 2020-2021 academic year entirely remotely (online), renamed our program to be Simple Suppers-Gone Online or Simple Suppers-GO, and treated it as a feasibility study. Specifically, our team collaborated with our community partner Columbus Urban League and Head Start families to adapt the core components (caregiver education; child education; family meal) of Simple Suppers to an online format, and delivered 3 times during the academic year (fall, winter, and spring). Feasibility outcomes (demand: attendance, retention; acceptability: satisfaction; implementation: fidelity, cost; limited effectiveness: diet, weight status) were measured via survey, focus groups, and direct measure pre- and post-pilot test. Demographic data were also collected. The research-community team came to consensus on: a) utilizing e-methods that families were accustomed to using in local Head Start programs and elementary schools (Google Classrooms; Zoom; YouTube videos) for the educational component; b) enhancing the educational components with a supplemental program-specific weekly magazine ("Simple Suppers Digest"); c) creating a weekly meal kit delivery for the family meal component ("Simple Suppers Chef's Crate"); and d) adding an additional week to programming (8-->9) to orient families to the new online format. The following represent the fall session data (winter and spring data are forthcoming): 13 families participated in the fall session of SS-GO programming. Mean (SD) weekly attendance was 4.0 (0.86). 11/13 families participated in the research, and 10/11 completed pre- and post-testing (91% retention). Survey and focus group data revealed high levels of satisfaction for SS-GO. Weekly lessons were delivered as intended 92.8% of the time, and Chef's Crates were received by families 100% of the time. Mean (SD) food cost was $212.33 (66.06) or $16.33 per family. Baseline (n=11) mean (SD) caregiver age 32.5 (9.32) years, 100% female, 72.7% black, 36.4% low income, and 36.4% had low or very low food insecurity. Mean (SD) child age was 3.45 (0.69), 50.0% were male, and had a mean (SD) BMI z-score 0.63 (0.76). Limited effectiveness data are forthcoming. Another major emphasis of year of 3 was continuing the work of the advisory board (Dr. Alysia Herzog (Grant Hospital), Autumn Trombetta (Columbus Public Health), Shannon Amos (Children's Hunger Alliance), Dr. Amy Headings (MidOhio Food Bank), and representatives from all participating organizations including Head Start, Columbus Urban League, and Ohio State. We continued meeting on a quarterly basis over the lunch hour - albeit remotely via zoom. Also in year 3, we continued multiple (other) regular meetings including: 1. Weekly meetings of PD Gunther's research team; 2. Monthly investigator meetings (Gunther, Butler, Ilic, Kennel); and 3. Biweekly meetings of OSU and our community partner (Columbus Urban League, Head Start).
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Gupta S, Gunther C. (2020) Perceptions of Online Grocery Shopping Using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Electronic Benefit Transfer Card. Poster presentation, Society of Nutrition Education and Behavior Online
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Walther A, May L, Sharn A, Westrick M, Pannell C, Gunther C. (2020) Childrens food preparation skills and involvement in meal preparation with their caregiver among families participating in a Head Start family meals program (Simple Suppers). American Society for Nutrition Online
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Sharn A, May L, Walther A, Gunther C. Southside Simple Suppers Scale-Up (S4): Effects of a Family Meals Program on Caregiver Outcomes. (2020) American Society for Nutrition Online
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Walther A, Gunther C. (2021) Household Food Security Among Head Start Families During COVID-19: Preliminary Results from the Simple Suppers-Gone Online (SS-GO) Study. Oral presentation, Ohio State University, Russell Klein Symposium
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
6. OPiela D, Walther A, Gunther C. (2021) Social Support Among Head Start Caregivers During COVID-19: Preliminary Results from the Simple Suppers-Gone Online (SS-GO) Study. Poster presentation, Ohio State University, Denman Research Forum, Columbus, Ohio
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
May L, Sharn A, Walther A, Westrick M, Pannell C, Gunther C. (2020) Southside Simple Suppers Scale-Up (S4): A Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Trial Evaluating a Childhood Obesity Prevention Family Meals Program. American Society for Nutrition Online
|
Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/20
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience is Head Start families - that is, parents/caregivers with children 3-5 years old (preschoolers) at/below 120% of the federal poverty level. Primary race/ethnicity of families is non-Hispanic Black and White, as well as Hispanic. Changes/Problems: Dr. Laura Hopkins accepted a faculty position at Baldwin-Wallace University and thus is no longer being paid from the project. That said, she continues to collaborate with us - specifically on the dietetic intern research (knowledge, skills, self-efficacy, cultural sensitivity, civic engagement). Dr. Deanna Wilkinson has requested to be removed from the project (year 3) due to being on personal leave. We have removed from the budget the 2 Extension Educators. These positions on not needed/justified due to having the help/support from graduate students. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Year 2 also involved professional development and retention of our community partners/paid program staff, who include Sheneice Lattimore (program assistant), as well as Sherre Davis, Heather Breedlove, and Lavita Williams (all educators). Examples include: Sheneice attended the annual CYFAR meeting (along with Joyce Grimes, Director of Head Start); Sheneice, Sherre, and Heather co-delivered the aforementioned 2 day training; Sheneice, Sherre, and Heather underwent CITI training for the IRB. Students/trainees on the project in year 2 included: 1. Undergraduate students: Cara Pannell (Nutritional Sciences; USDA MSP Scholar), Sierra Schwierking (Health Sciences), and Miranda Westrick (Public Health). 2. Dietetic interns: Lisa Hillman, Brittany Hante, Navroop Kaur, Madison Tuggle, Angelina Caradonna, Lesley Chang, Bailey Carr, Olivia Small, Anna Hayes, Rachael Mills, Cameron Carothers. 3. Graduate students: Leah May (2nd year MS student), Amy Sharn (2nd year MS student), and Ashley Walther (1st year doctoral student). 4. Pediatric research fellow: Dr. Shivani Gupta (Nationwide Children's Hospital). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Presentations from year 2 included: Sharn A, May L, Westrick M, Walther A, Gunther C. (2020) Southside Simple Suppers Scale-Up (S4): Effects of a Family Meals Program on Caregiver Outcomes. Poster presentation, Ohio State University, College of Education and Human Ecology Research Forum (2/2020) and Russell Klein Nutrition Research Forum (3/2020), Columbus, Ohio. May L, Sharn A, Westrick M, Walther A, Gunther C. (2020) Southside Simple Suppers Scale-Up (S4): A Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Trial Evaluating a Childhood Obesity Prevention Family Meals Program. Poster presentation, Ohio State University, College of Education and Human Ecology Research Forum (2/2020) and Russell Klein Nutrition Research Forum (3/2020), Columbus, Ohio. Westrick M, Gunther C. (2019) Southside Simple Suppers Scale-Up (S4). Poster presentation, Ohio State University, College of Public Health Capstone Forum, Columbus, Ohio. May L, Sharn A, Hopkins LC, Kennel JA, Gunther C. (2019) The Southside Simple Suppers Scale-Up (S4) Study: Baseline Findings from Initial Pilot Testing. Poster presentation, Ohio State University, College of Education and Human Ecology Research Forum and Russell Klein Symposium, Columbus, Ohio. Regarding year 2 presentations, please also note that we have 4 abstracts under review at 2 different national meetings (ASN and SNEB) occurring in summer 2020. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Year 3 of the project will involve a continued expansion of programming. The major change is that we will deliver the 8-week program at all 3 Head Start sites (Southside, Watkins, and Moler) during all 3 sessions of the academic year (fall, winter, and spring). As conducted in years 1 and 2, the pre- and post-program evaluation will occur synchronously with programming, and rely on a mixed methods approach (survey and direct measures; focus group interviews). The process evaluation will occur throughout programming and include an assessment of program response rate, attendance, fidelity, and acceptability. We will also: Continue our caregiver-targeted social media (Facebook, Instagram - add Pinterest) and texting (program reminders and weekly health challenges) efforts. Fully implement electronic attendance methods via ipads. Transition to electronic data collection methods via ipads. Another major emphasis of year 3 will be dissemination of findings (e.g., adoption and implementation outcomes as well as nutritional health outcomes (short term: knowledge, skills, preferences, self-efficacy; long term: healthy eating patterns and family mealtime routines and home food environment, as well as social support and family cohesion) - not only to our community partners and at local professional meetings, but national meetings (e.g., ASN and SNEB) and peer-reviewed articles (e.g., JNEB, JOE). Year 3 will also involve continued investment in training: 1. Undergraduate students (5): Miranda Westrick, Cara Pannell (USDA MSP Scholar), and at least several others (to be named). 2. Dietetic internship students from the incoming class of 2021 (10 or more) (to be named). 3. Graduate students: Leah May (MS student) and Amy Sharn (MS student) will complete their theses research. Ashley Walther (2nd year doctoral student) will continue her working on the project which will serve as the basis of her dissertation research. 4. Research fellow: Dr. Shivani Gupta will continue through 2021. 5. Program staff: Sheniece Lattimore (Program Assistant), Heather Breedlove (Educator), and Lavita Williams (Educator). We will also continue to invest our time and effort in our quarterly stakeholder meetings, and other work meetings related to the project.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Year 2 of this 5 year CYFAR project was dedicated primarily to initiating the scale-up of the Simple Suppers program across the 3 Head Start sites - Southside, Watkins, and Moler. We transitioned from offering the program on a monthly basis during the school year at 1 site (Southside) to offering the program on a weekly basis for 8 weeks each during the school year at the 3 sites. Specifically, at the Southside site where year 1 piloting occurred, we offered the 8 week program 3 times during the year: fall, winter, and spring. At the 2 new sites, we offered the 8 week program once, in the fall (Watkins) and spring (Moler). To date, average weekly attendance across the 3 sites is 32 individuals or approximately 10 families per program. Pre- and post-program evaluations have occurred in coordination with all programming delivered thus far. In addition, process evaluations have occurred in sync with all programming to date, including fidelity via program specific checklist and videotaping. Note that prior to the launch of programming (Aug 2019), we conducted a 2 day training (8 hours total) targeted to the dietetic interns (11) and undergraduate students (3-5) involved in program delivery and evaluation. The training was delivered by staff from Ohio State and our community partner (Columbus Urban League, Head Start). Day 1 consisted of a program overview, in-depth discussion of lessons, research overview, and child education training. Day 2 was an abridged version of Navigating for Success (adult education training) and data collection training. All individuals who participated in training were invited to be part a mixed methods evaluation study examining the impact of the training - as well as program delivery - on program-related knowledge and self-efficacy, as well as cultural sensitivity and civic engagement. Other major emphases of year 2 included developing/implementing: Social media accounts (Facebook and Instagram); Texting system (TextIt platform) to connect with caregivers (programming reminders and weekly health challenges); System for tracking attendance electronically via ipads; Qualtrics system for collecting data electronically via ipads; Protocol for assessing program fidelity via videotaping; Another major emphasis of year of 2 was continuing the work of the advisory board. We continued to meet on a quarterly basis over the lunch hour. All members have a vested interest in the children and families living on the Southside of Columbus, and include the following: Dr. Alysia Herzog (Grant Hospital), Autumn Trombetta (Columbus Public Health), Shannon Amos (Children's Hunger Alliance), Dr. Amy Headings (MidOhio Food Bank), parent representative (name withheld for privacy), and representatives from all participating organizations including Head Start, Columbus Urban League, and Ohio State. Also in year 2, we continued multiple (other) regular meetings including: Weekly meetings of PD Gunther's research team; Monthly investigator meetings (Gunther, Butler, Ilic, Kennel, Wilkinson); Biweekly meetings of OSU and our community partner (Columbus Urban League, Head Start).
Publications
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Progress 09/01/18 to 08/31/19
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience is Head Start families - that is, parents/caregivers with children 3-5 years old (preschoolers) at/below 120% of the federal poverty level. Primary race/ethnicity of families is non-Hispanic Black and White, as well as Hispanic. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?In the past year, the first year of this CYFAR project, there have been multiple opportunities for training and professional development (research and programming). The individuals engaged include: 1 post-doc, 2 MS students in nutrition, ~5 undergraduate students, ~10 dietetic interns, and 3 community-partner staff. Also, in June, OSU and Head Start faculty and staff will participate in the USDA CYFAR annual meeting in Washington, DC. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Research findings have been shared at 2 local professional meetings, as well as with the advisory board (x2 meetings). Feasibility findings (pilot testing), have been shared with our community partner and advisory board. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The scale-up will begin in fall 2019. Programming and data collection will occur at all 3 Head Start sites. Prior to scale-up, all students and staff involved in programming and data collection will undergo intensive training. Installation of garden tower(s) will occur prior to the scale-up. Quarterly advisory board meetings will continue. Regular team meetings (OSU and community partner) will also continue.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Since receipt of the award, our team has completed once monthly pilot testing of the program at one of the three Head Start sites ("Southside"), along with data collection. At baseline, 13 caregiver-child dyads enrolled. Mean (SD) child age was 3.8 (0.4) yr, zBMI was 1.0 (1.3), 69.2% were female, and 92% were non-Hispanic black. Mean (SD) caregiver age was 31.2 (7.4) yr, BMI was 36.1 (8.9) kg/m2, and 83.3% were female. Average monthly attendance was 5 families. Pilot testing and data collection will be complete at the end of May 2019. In addition to completing pilot testing, we also developed and launched our advisory board committee, which meets on a quarterly basis. Members include: physician, public health official, non-profit organization in child health and nutrition, parent representative, and representatives from all participating organizations including Head Start, Columbus Urban League, YMCA, and Ohio State. We also established regular team meetings (research and programming) for OSU and our community partner.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
May L, Sharn A, Hopkins LC, Kennel JA, Gunther C. (2019) The Southside Simple Suppers Scale-Up (S4) Study: Baseline Findings from Initial Pilot Testing. Poster presentation, Ohio State University, (1) College of Education and Human Ecology Research Forum and (2) Russell Klein Symposium, Columbus, Ohio.
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