Somerset Shawn, Bossard Antoine
School of Public Health and Heart Foundation Research Centre, Griffith University, University Drive, Meadowbrook, Queensland 4131, Australia.
Public Health Nutr. 2009 Sep;12(9):1485-93. doi: 10.1017/S1368980008004552. Epub 2009 Jan 15.
To determine the prevalence and usage of food gardens in primary schools in three distinct climatic regions of north-eastern Australia.
Cross-sectional surveys combining quantitative and qualitative data collection. Two separate telephone questionnaires were developed and implemented, according to the presence or absence of a food garden within the school. Main outcome measures were answers to scaled response and open-ended questions related to factors supporting and inhibiting the establishment and sustainability of school food gardens.
All state primary schools in three disparate regions of the north-eastern Australian state of Queensland were asked to participate in the study.
A total of 71% (n 128) of schools agreed to participate. Of these, thirty-seven primary schools had functioning food gardens. The variations in prevalence between regions combined with respondent views indicated climate as a major factor affecting the success of food gardens. Gardens were often used as a tool by schools to teach science, environment or social skills. Gardening activities were generally linked to curriculum studies on plants, fruit and vegetable intake, and healthy eating. The main issues for schools and teachers in establishing food gardens were the time required and the lack of personnel to coordinate garden activities. Of the schools with food gardens, 92% believed their garden had been a success.
The study revealed strong grass-roots support for school-based food gardens. Although climate and location were important factors associated with the presence of a functioning food garden, respondents nominated teacher involvement and sustained motivation as essential factors for successful school food gardens.
确定澳大利亚东北部三个不同气候区域的小学中食物园的普及率和使用情况。
结合定量和定性数据收集的横断面调查。根据学校内是否有食物园，制定并实施了两份单独的电话调查问卷。主要结果指标是与支持和抑制学校食物园建立及可持续发展的因素相关的量表式回答和开放式问题的答案。
澳大利亚昆士兰州东北部三个不同区域的所有州立小学均被邀请参与该研究。
共有71%（n = 128）的学校同意参与。其中，37所小学设有运作中的食物园。各区域之间普及率的差异以及受访者的观点表明，气候是影响食物园成功的主要因素。食物园常被学校用作教授科学、环境或社交技能的工具。园艺活动通常与关于植物、水果和蔬菜摄入量以及健康饮食的课程研究相关。学校和教师在建立食物园时面临的主要问题是所需时间以及缺乏协调园艺活动的人员。在设有食物园的学校中，92%认为他们的食物园很成功。
该研究表明基层对校内食物园的支持力度很大。尽管气候和地理位置是与运作中的食物园存在相关的重要因素，但受访者认为教师的参与和持续的积极性是学校食物园成功的关键因素。
