Evaluation of a student participatory, low-intensity program to improve school wellness environment and students’ eating and activity behaviors

BACKGROUND: Most schools have not fully implemented wellness policies, and those that have rarely incorporate meaningful student participation. The aim of the Fuel Up to Play 60 (FUTP60) program is to help schools implement wellness policies by engaging students in activities to improve access to healthful, good tasting food and drinks, and increase the number and type of opportunities for students to be physically active. The aim of this paper is to present initial student-level results from an implementation of FUTP60 in 72 schools, grades 6–9. METHODS: The study used a non-controlled pretest/posttest with serial cross-sectional data. School process data and student-level data were collected in fall 2009 (pre-intervention) and spring 2010 (post-intervention). School wellness practices were captured during a baseline needs assessment survey. Validated self-administered questionnaires assessing dietary and physical activity (PA) behaviors were administered to students in grades 6–9 in the 72 pilot schools. Mixed-effects logistic regression controlling for clustering of schools and demographics was used to calculate odds ratios and confidence intervals to evaluate changes pre- and post- intervention. RESULTS: All 72 schools implemented FUTP60 during the 2009–2010 school year. Action strategies most frequently chosen by the schools included increasing breakfast participation and new activities before and after school. Positive and significant changes in students’ behaviors (n = 32,482 at pretest and 29,839 at post-test) were noted for dairy, whole grains, fruit, and vegetable consumption and PA levels pre- and post-intervention (OR 1.05 to 1.27). Students aware of the program at post-test were significantly more likely to report healthier eating and PA behaviors than students unaware of the program (OR 1.1 to 1.34). CONCLUSIONS: FUTP60 pilot findings indicate that a low intensity program focused on wellness policy implementation is associated with small positive changes in student behaviors, especially when students were aware of the program. Although these initial results are promising, a more rigorous controlled study is warranted as a next step

Profit from thoughtful tax strategies

This information was part of the November 2011 issue of Eastern DairyBusiness Magazine. The Manager, a section within the Eastern DairyBusiness Magazine, is authored and organized by the PRO-DAIRY program in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University

Dairy Farm Management Business Summary New York State 2007

R.B. 2008-03Business and financial records for 2007 from 250 New York dairy farm businesses are summarized and analyzed. This analysis demonstrates the use of cash accounting with accrual adjustments to measure farm profitability, financial performance, and costs of producing milk. Traditional methods of analyzing dairy farm businesses are combined with evaluation techniques that show the relationship between good management performance and financial success. The farms in the project averaged 358 cows per farm and 22,983 pounds of milk sold per cow, which represent above average size and management level for New York dairy farms. Net farm income excluding appreciation, which is the return to the operator's labor, management, capital, and other unpaid family labor, averaged $410,358 per farm. The rate of return to all capital invested in the farm business including appreciation averaged 18.2 percent. Differences in profitability between farms continue to widen. Average net farm income excluding appreciation of the top 10 percent of farms was$1,658,164, while the lowest 10 percent was $3,007. Rates of return on equity with appreciation ranged from positive 55 percent to negative 7 percent for the highest decile and the lowest decile of farms, respectively. Large freestall farms averaged the highest milk output per cow and per worker, the lowest total cost of production and investment per cow, and the greatest returns to labor, management and capital. Farms milking three times a day (3X) were larger, produced more milk per cow and had higher net farm incomes in 2007 than herds milking two times per day (2X). Operating costs per hundredweight of milk were$0.47 per hundredweight greater for 3X than 2X milking herds, while output per cow was 4,306 pounds higher. In 2007, farms supplementing the herd with bovine somatotropin (bST) attained higher rates of milk production per cow, had larger herds and were more profitable than farms not supplementing with bST for all measures of profitability. Farms adopting intensive grazing generally produced less milk per cow than non-grazing farms but averaged higher labor and management incomes per operator. One should not conclude that adoption of these technologies alone were responsible for differences in performance

Review of: American Fiddle Tunes from the Archive of Folk Song, by Alan Jabbour

Review

Nutrition-related practices and attitudes of Kansas skipped-generation(s) caregivers and their grandchildren

Despite growing numbers, the nutrition practices and attitudes of skipped generation(s) kinship caregivers regarding feeding the dependent children in their care have not been examined. In this qualitative study, transcriptions of semi-structured interviews with 19 female and four male skipped-generation(s) Kansas caregivers (ages 47 to 80, 92% non-Hispanic whites, 83% female, 78% grandparents and 22% great-aunt or great grandparent caregivers; caring for a range of one to four children, ages three to 18, for an average of nine years) were content analyzed for how their nutrition-related practices and attitudes had changed since parenting the first time. Sub-themes regarding practices included: being more nutrition and food safety conscious now, and shifting their child feeding style. The children seemed to be adversely affected by an on-the-go lifestyle and the use of more electronics. Caregivers described their sources for child feeding advice as being based mostly on information from their mothers, physicians, and their past parenting experiences. Sub-themes for attitudes included opinions that nutrition and safe food handling are important and that nutritious food is expensive. They preferred printed or video nutrition education materials and wanted to receive information through organizations they trusted. This population could benefit from education on: infant, child, adolescent, and sports nutrition; feeding “picky eaters”; healthful recipes, “fast foods” and packaged foods; quick, inexpensive meals and snacks low in fat, sugar, and salt; limiting sedentary time; family meals; using food thermometers; and intergenerational gardening and cooking