The purpose of the Action Schools! BC – Healthy Eating pilot was to examine the effectiveness of the Action Schools! BC model in increasing awareness and consumption of vegetables and fruit.
The guiding principles of Action Schools! BC – Healthy Eating are to:
- Build on the existing Action Schools! BC initiative
- Utilize the existing six Action Zones
- Focus on vegetables and fruit
- Create linkages to other relevant initiatives and activities in British Columbia and across Canada
To evaluate the changes in eating behaviours that occured in children following participation in the Action Schools! BC – Healthy Eating intervention, results were compared across 2 study arms;
- Action Schools! BC – Healthy Eating intervention, which included training and support for teachers and schools to implement the intervention materials and;
- Usual school practice related to healthy eating.
Five elementary schools, 1 from Prince Rupert, 2 from the Lower Mainland, and 2 from Vancouver Island, volunteered to participate in the Action Schools! BC – Healthy Eating evaluation.
Timeline:
January 2006 – June 2006:
Action Schools! BC – Healthy Eating was piloted in Grades 4 to 5
Children from all schools were evaluated in December and January, 2006 and again in June 2006.
September 2006 – June 2007:
Action Schools! BC – Healthy Eating were piloted in Grades 5 to 6
Children from all schools were evaluated in September 2006 and again in June 2007.
Action Schools! BC – Healthy Eating is now available to all BC elementary schools.
Evaluation Team:
The evaluation team involved a number of research partners from across universities, and from multiple sectors:
Co-Principal Investigators: Dr. Heather McKay, UBC, Dr. Patti-Jean Naylor, UVic
Research and Development Coordinator, Action Schools! BC – Healthy Eating:
Dr. Karen Strange
Research and Development Coordinator, Action Schools! BC – Healthy Eating:
Meghan Day, RD (Masters Student, UVic)
Funding Partners:
Action Schools! BC – Healthy Eating is funded by the BC Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport in partnership with 2010 Legacies Now.
Evaluation Report (pdf)
