This report highlights a study on external food and nutrition education programs (NEP) that reached New York City public elementary schools in three boroughs—Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens—in the 2011-12 academic year. It describes the kinds of programs available, their distribution, and if they are reaching the schools that need them the most. The report also details what is going well, and how accessibility to food and nutrition education programs can be improved.

Our report found the majority (61%) of elementary schools in New York City do not have nutrition education programs designed and provided by entities outside the school. The study analyzed 20 nutrition education programs that are offered by nonprofits, universities, and other groups in elementary schools in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens – to evaluate their scope and distribution.

Key recommendations include:

  • For Schools: schools can evaluate if they are providing enough nutrition education to help students make healthy choices, and if not, consider adding more NEPs to their schools;

  • For NEP Providers: NEP providers can ensure that more students, especially those in high-need areas, are reached by using tools to measure the need and assessing how they can best support specific schools. NEPs can also more aggressively promote the variety of benefits they provide to a school such as supporting academic success, improving eating behaviors, and building community; and

  • For Funders and Policy Makers: Funders and policy makers can increase support for NEPs in targeted areas while working towards a goal of 80% of NYC schools with NEPs by 2020. This can be done through increased geographically and need targeted funding by government and others, and policy mandating nutrition education in schools.

Report:

Related Resource:

A is for Apple: The State of Nutrition Education Programs in New York City Schools‌ (2016-17)

Tags: Food and Nutrition Education Research Reports Food Equity

Published Saturday, Mar 1, 2014