Long-term student outcomes of the Integrated Nutrition and Physical Activity Program.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the long-term effects of the Integrated Nutrition and Physical Activity Program (INPAP), a school-based nutrition education program.

DESIGN

Quasi-experimental design comparing intervention and comparison cohorts at 3-6 years after delivery of the INPAP intervention on nutrition- and physical activity-related outcomes.

SETTING

This study was conducted in 1 school district in a low-income rural county of ∼15,000 residents in south-central Colorado.

PARTICIPANTS

In second grade, intervention and comparison cohorts included 173 (fall 2000) and 190 (fall 1999) students, respectively. Approximately 60% of these students completed assessments in eighth grade.

INTERVENTIONS

INPAP is an experiential school-based nutrition education program, grounded in social cognitive theory and Piaget's cognitive development theory and adapted for use in a rural setting.

OUTCOMES

Nutrition and physical activity knowledge, self-efficacy, attitudes and behaviors, body mass index.

ANALYSIS

Wilcoxon signed rank test, chi-square test for proportions, and t test for means.

RESULTS

Long-term effects were observed in nutrition-related knowledge and attitudes but not self-efficacy or behavior change. The effects that did occur were attenuated over time.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

This study found that INPAP implemented in elementary school had limited lasting effects by the end of middle school, a time when students have increased autonomy to make food choices.