Impact of the Purdue Extension Professor Popcorn nutrition curriculum on third grade students' knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported consumption of fruits and vegetables : a five-month post-hoc analysis

• Main Author: Miller, Jody L.
• Other Authors: Frieson, Carol A.
• Format: Others
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: School children > Attitudes.; School children > Nutrition.; Nutrition > Study and teaching (Elementary)
• Online Access: http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/handle/187543; http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1273271

The purpose of this study was to determine if completion of the Purdue Extension Professor Popcorn nutrition curriculum impacts third grade students' long-term knowledge about, attitude toward, and self-reported consumption of fruits and vegetables. A secondary purpose was to measure any carry-over of concepts learned, or to identify any food behaviors acquired, by surveying the students' parents.A total of 74 third-grade students and 66 parents/guardians participated in this study. Data was analyzed using SPSS, version 11.0. Descriptive analysis, frequency counts, and Pearson Chi Square were used to test 15 research hypotheses. Significant differences were found in students' attitude toward vegetables, how often they ate fruit, and how often people should eat fruits and vegetables. No differences were found in parent/guardian surveys. Results of this study provide modest support for the impact of Professor Popcorn on students. No carryover of concepts to the students' parents, however, was observed. === Department of Family and Consumer Sciences