Florida International University Miami, Florida, United States
Objectives: Assess impact of participation in an online nutrition intervention on teachers’ nutrition knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors, with an emphasis on ethnic differences
Methods: Cluster randomized waitlist control intervention with a web-based platform & live Zoom sessions. Early childhood teachers (n=95; 40% Hispanic) recruited from 45 Montessori schools in 24 states. Outcomes: nutrition knowledge (NK), nutrition self-efficacy (NSE), nutrition teaching self-efficacy (NTSE), classroom food practices (CFP), classroom eating behaviors (CEB), nutrition teaching practices (NTP), teacher-parent nutrition communication (TPC). Participation assessed through website pageviews, completion of online activities & quizzes, Zoom attendance. Analyses of covariances and regressions conducted to assess outcomes at the individual level (significance at p≤ 0.05).
Results: At baseline, Hispanic teachers reported lower NK (F=18.644, p< .001), less healthy CEB (F=5.179, p=.025), and lower NTSE, less healthy CFP. Website pageviews, activity completions, quiz completions, and Zoom attendance respectively impacted NSE (p=.025, .016, .035, .016), CEB (p=.001, .001. < .001, .002), NTP (p < .001, < .001, < .001, .002), and TPC (p < .001, < .001, < .001, < .001). Less program participation noted from Hispanics with respect to pageviews (F=23.228, p< .001), activities (F=25.414, p< .001), & quizzes (F=25.361, p< .001). At post-intervention, ethnicity impacted NK (F=13.211, p< .001), and though improved, Hispanic teachers maintained lower NK, less healthy CFP & CEB. For Hispanics, NSE significantly predicted CFP (R2=.454, F=19.974, p< .001), CEB (R2=.218, F=6.698, p=.016), TPC (R2=.203, F=6.101, p=.021), & NTP (R2=.486, F=10.853, p< .001).
Conclusions: This study highlights the need to address unique barriers faced by Hispanic teachers in virtual nutrition interventions. Disparities in participation metrics suggest engagement challenges that future online programs must address through culturally tailored strategies. Nutrition self-efficacy emerged as a key predictor of classroom behaviors for Hispanic teachers, emphasizing the critical role of confidence in modeling healthy practices in the classroom. These findings underscore the importance of inclusive and targeted interventions to promote equitable outcomes in diverse communities.
