Influence of Teachers' Personal Health Behaviors on Operationalizing Obesity Prevention Policy in Head Start Preschools: A Project of the Children's Healthy Living Program (CHL)

Abstract

Objective To quantify the Head Start (HS) teacher mediating and moderating influence on the effect of a wellness policy intervention. Design Intervention trial within a larger randomized community trial. Setting HS preschools in Hawaii. Participants Twenty-three HS classrooms located within 2 previously randomized communities. Intervention Seven-month multi-component intervention with policy changes to food served and service style, initiatives for employee wellness, classroom activities for preschoolers promoting physical activity (PA) and healthy eating, and training and technical assistance. Main Outcome Measures The Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation (EPAO) classroom scores and teacher questionnaires assessing on knowledge, beliefs, priorities, and misconceptions around child nutrition and changes in personal health behaviors and status were the main outcome measures. Analysis Paired t tests and linear regression analysis tested the intervention effects on the classroom and mediating and moderating effects of the teacher variables on the classroom environment. Results General linear model test showed greater intervention effect on the EPAO score where teachers reported higher than average improvements in their own health status and behaviors (estimate [SE] = −2.47 (0.78), P < .05). Conclusions and Implications Strategies to improve teacher health status and behaviors included in a multi-component policy intervention aimed at child obesity prevention may produce a greater effect on classroom environments.

A Qualitative Investigation of Factors that Influence School Employee Health Behaviors: Implications for Wellness Programming

“…Supporting school employees may positively influence the delivery of such interventions, as indicated by a study that identified a significant relationship between improved teacher health behaviors and student intervention efficacy. 20 Therefore, the demonstrated investment in student health in this study has important implications. Not only could employee wellness programming enhance the delivery of student interventions but using student health benefits as a marketing tool for employee wellness programs may enhance the uptake of wellness programming, especially among employees lacking intrinsic motivation.…”

“…The prevalence of classroom‐based interventions for students is growing, placing the efficacy of such programs in the hands of teachers. Supporting school employees may positively influence the delivery of such interventions, as indicated by a study that identified a significant relationship between improved teacher health behaviors and student intervention efficacy . Therefore, the demonstrated investment in student health in this study has important implications.…”

The health status of the early care and education workforce in the USA: a scoping review of the evidence and current practice

“…The majority of the programs were delivered to center-based teachers and staff, with only one developed specifically for family child care providers [44,46]. Others focused on Head Start staff [39,42] or a broader audience of providers including FCC (33, Building Well-Being Resilient).…”

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Primary School Teachers on Nutrition and Food

“…6 Teachers are responsible for providing information, negotiating rules for food consumption, and should act as a model of behavior for students. 6,7 When they reflect on the world of food and nutrition, they often approach it in such a way that the students understand eating not only as a biological act, but also as a social factor, and relate it to a good quality of life and development of a healthy adult. 8 Training the teaching staff is therefore an indispensable condition for the promotion of healthy eating at school.…”

“…In general, the training of these actors in the field of food and nutrition is insufficient. 7,11,12 The objective of this study is to present the results of the evaluation of knowledge, attitudes, and feeding and nutrition practices of early grades teachers of the municipal school network in a city located in the State of Rio Grande do Sul.…”