The Impact of Nutrition Training Programs on Knowledge, Confidence, and Behavioral Intention Among School Nutrition Professionals.

IF 1.8 4区医学 Q2 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Journal of School Health Pub Date : 2025-08-26 DOI:10.1111/josh.70058

Wenhao Zhang, Brianna Routh, Molly Stenberg, Haley Scott

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: U.S. Department of Agriculture Child Nutrition Programs provide essential nutrition supporting student health and academic outcomes. Rural school nutrition professionals (SNPs) face challenges such as staff shortages, limited resources, and inadequate training. This study evaluates a flexible training program tailored to address these issues.

Methods: Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior and Lippitt-Knoster model, an observational cohort study design with pre- and post-training evaluations measured SNPs' knowledge, confidence, and behavioral intention. Participants completed 40-h director or 8-h staff training delivered through live virtual, asynchronous virtual, and in-person formats. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U tests, and three-way cross-tabulations.

Results: Participants demonstrated significant improvements in confidence levels and knowledge of both school nutrition basics and culinary skills. High behavioral intentions toward desirable practices were observed among participants. Flexible delivery formats enhanced participation and satisfaction, with virtual options especially beneficial for rural settings.

Implications for school health policy, practice, and equity: Flexible, theory-based training models addressing rural SNPs' specific needs improve school meal quality, staff retention, and equitable access to nutrition education.

Conclusions: Tailored training programs incorporating diverse methods and incentives strengthen rural SNP capacity, enhancing health outcomes for students.

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营养训练计划对学校营养专业人员的知识、信心和行为意向的影响。

背景：美国农业部儿童营养计划提供必要的营养支持学生的健康和学业成绩。农村学校营养专业人员面临着人员短缺、资源有限和培训不足等挑战。本研究评估了针对这些问题量身定制的灵活培训计划。方法：在计划行为理论和Lippitt-Knoster模型的指导下，采用观察性队列研究设计，采用训练前和训练后评估的方法测量snp的知识、信心和行为意愿。参与者通过实时虚拟、异步虚拟和面对面的形式完成了40小时的主管或8小时的员工培训。使用描述性统计、Mann-Whitney U检验和三向交叉表分析数据。结果：参与者对学校营养基础知识和烹饪技能的信心水平和知识都有了显著的提高。在参与者中观察到对理想实践的高行为意图。灵活的交付形式提高了参与度和满意度，虚拟选项尤其有利于农村环境。对学校卫生政策、实践和公平的影响：针对农村snp特定需求的灵活的、基于理论的培训模式可改善学校膳食质量、员工留任和公平获得营养教育。结论：结合多种方法和激励措施的量身定制培训方案可增强农村SNP能力，提高学生的健康结果。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of School Health 医学-公共卫生、环境卫生与职业卫生

CiteScore

3.70

自引率

9.10%

发文量

134

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

期刊介绍： Journal of School Health is published 12 times a year on behalf of the American School Health Association. It addresses practice, theory, and research related to the health and well-being of school-aged youth. The journal is a top-tiered resource for professionals who work toward providing students with the programs, services, and environment they need for good health and academic success.