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Gardening and nutrition: A systems approach to an intervention and evaluation

Jones, Kelly Irene (2008) Gardening and nutrition: A systems approach to an intervention and evaluation. Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

The overarching goals of this paper are to promote the use of gardens as a systems approach to education, and propose that they should be evaluated as such. Current literature shows the positive effect of gardening education on nutrition, including consumption of fruits and vegetables and nutrition knowledge. A wealth of anecdotal evidence reveals that gardening education programs affect multiple domains in the lives of participants. The first objective of this paper is to review gardening programs with nutrition education components in literature to understand the areas where these programs are already effective and what gaps still need to be filled. Another objective is to propose evaluative tools for an existing gardening program entitled "My Garden Vegetables" in Wilkinsburg, PA. These proposed tools will assess both nutrition education components of the program and components related to cooperation, sharing, and the environment. Such evaluations provide information that is vital for reshaping the goals and objectives of future programs. The proposed evaluation tools consist of a food frequency questionnaire, food preference questionnaire, nutrition knowledge game, focus group questions, interview questions, and observations. Once implemented, this evaluation has the potential to add valuable data to the relatively minimal body of research related to systems effects of gardening programs. The public health significance of this paper is that with childhood obesity on the rise, we have the opportunity to create lasting programs that not only influence nutrition knowledge but integrate that knowledge into a child's understanding of his or her role in changing the environment and developing cooperative networks.


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Details

Item Type: University of Pittsburgh ETD
Status: Unpublished
Creators/Authors:
CreatorsEmailPitt UsernameORCID
Jones, Kelly Irenekellyij@hotmail.com
ETD Committee:
TitleMemberEmail AddressPitt UsernameORCID
Committee ChairKeane, Christopher Rcrkcity@pitt.eduCRKCITY
Committee MemberAbatamarco, Diane Jdja17@pitt.eduDJA17
Committee MemberStrotmeyer, Elsa Sstrotmeyere@edc.pitt.eduELSST21
Date: 27 June 2008
Date Type: Completion
Defense Date: 16 April 2008
Approval Date: 27 June 2008
Submission Date: 9 April 2008
Access Restriction: No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately.
Institution: University of Pittsburgh
Schools and Programs: School of Public Health > Behavioral and Community Health Sciences
Degree: MPH - Master of Public Health
Thesis Type: Master's Thesis
Refereed: Yes
Uncontrolled Keywords: education; garden; systems; nutrition; evaluation; intervention
Other ID: http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-04092008-082741/, etd-04092008-082741
Date Deposited: 10 Nov 2011 19:35
Last Modified: 15 Nov 2016 13:39
URI: http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/6922

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