SNEB Journal Club 3: Staff Workshop Improves Child Care Center Menus in South Central Texas: A Best Food FITS Intervention

(Recorded 10/9/17)

Speakers: Brittany Markides, MS, RD, Lecturer, Nutrition and Foods, Texas State University; Sylvia Crixell, PhD, RD, Professor, Nutrition and Foods, Texas State University; Lesli Biediger-Friedman Assistant Professor, Nutrition and Foods, Texas State University

Staff Workshop Improves Child Care Center Menus in South Central Texas: A Best Food for Families, Infants, and Toddlers (Best Food FITS) Intervention

http://www.jneb.org/article/S1499-4046(17)30068-4/fulltext

Workshop interventions with community childcare center staff show promise in improving menus. This study revealed significant differences in childcare center menus by collecting 4 weeks of menus, employing SuperTracker to cluster data by day and center, and analyzing the menu data using the SAS macro, MIXCORR, in a manner similar to that used by the National Cancer Institute to assess diet records. Hosting workshops with community childcare center staff may provide a service-learning opportunity for nutrition students and dietetic interns enrolled in universities.

Learning Objectives:

Describe elements of a childcare center workshop intervention that can engage childcare center directors and staff.

Describe how to assess the impact of a workshop intervention using SuperTracker and MIXCORR.

Describe how to compare and display pre-post childcare center menu HEI scores.

Brittany Markides completed her BS and MS at Texas State University, where she is currently a lecturer. Her research focus revolves around maternal and child health. Ms. Markides serves as a research consultant, specializing in helping non-profits and public health organizations measure and report outcomes, and is the founder of Choose Food, a nutrition private practice specializing in non-diet approaches to health.

Dr. Sylvia Crixell is a Professor of Nutrition and Foods at Texas State University. She has a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Texas State University in Biological Sciences. She completed her dietetic internship at the University of Central Arkansas and earned her PhD from the University of Texas at Austin in biological sciences/nutrition. Dr. Crixell’s research focus includes maternal and child health and wellness. She founded and co-directs Best Food for Families, Infants, and Toddlers (Best Food FITS), a community-based program dedicated to combatting child obesity. In pursuit of technology solutions to improve health, Dr. Crixell has investigated the use of technology to improve health behaviors among low-income families enrolled in WIC and Head Start.

Dr. Lesli Biediger-Friedman is an Assistant Professor in Nutrition and Foods at Texas State University. She completed her dietetic internship and Master of Public Health degree at Benedictine University, and earned her Bachelor’s and Doctoral degrees from Texas Tech University in Nutrition Sciences. The focus of Dr. Biediger-Friedman’s research includes policy, systems, and environmental approaches to explore innovative strategies to build public health nutrition infrastructure, address food security, and improve dietary practices of maternal and child populations. She is a co-director of Best Food FITS, conducts community-based participatory research, and explores technology solutions for nutrition education.