Nutrition educator adoption and implementation of an experiential foods curriculum.

Objective: Describe changes in Nutrition Educator (NE) and Extension Agent (EA) motivation, self-efficacy, and behavioral capability over time after experiential food tasting curriculum training. Identify promoters of curriculum adoption, implementation, and future use.

Design: Mixed methods design including surveys, lesson implementation reports, and interviews.

Effective training design: use of theory and formative assessment.

Effective nutrition education training should be guided by sound theory that specifically addresses behavior change. A 3-hour training was developed using diffusion of innovations (DOI) and social cognitive theories and formative assessment. Essential training components included interactive learning techniques and curriculum lesson practice.

Valid and reliable measures of cognitive behaviors toward fruits and vegetables for children aged 9 to 11 years.

Objective: To examine reliability of validity-tested instruments measuring fruit and vegetable (FV) preference and self-efficacy (SE) for and attitude (AT) toward cooking.

Methods: In Santa Fe, New Mexico, following cognitive interviews with 123 fourth- and fifth-graders, surveys were administered twice, less than 2 weeks apart, to students in 16 classrooms without intervening nutrition education. Results were assessed using Pearson correlation coefficient, Cronbach α, marginal homogeneity, Wilcoxon, and paired t tests.