Relevance
Childhood and adolescent obesity can lead to an increased risk for chronic health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke in adulthood. There is a pressing need to introduce projects related to nutrition and healthy living in youth community programming.
Reaching urban youth and teens living in communities in need of health interventions were assessed through literature review, such as the NYC Youth Behavior Risk Survey. Feedback from agency and community partners contributed the methods and strategies CUCE-NYC employed to target youth and teens.
Response
According to the NYC Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2019, at least 26-36% of high school students are either overweight or obese (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). Through cross-age mentoring between undergraduate college interns and teenagers, combined with the “teens as teachers” model, the Choose Health: Food, Fun, and Fitness (CHFFF) curriculum was delivered to the target audience of elementary and middle school youth living in urban communities that are statistically of lower socioeconomic status. Acknowledging that socioeconomic and environmental factors influence rates of childhood and adolescent obesity, the CHAT program delivers nutrition and active lifestyle information to inform the choices that young people can make to support their optimal health, as well as have the ability to spread learned information within their local communities.
This was accomplished by training teens to teach elementary and middle schooler about healthy eating and active living through games and food preps as part of program activities at four NYC Police Athletic League (PAL) summer day camp sites, with support from college interns and agency staff. Compiling youth participant and teen teacher data from the summers of 2021 through 2023, the CUCE-NYC PAL/CHAT collaboration reached 410 youth participants and 14 teen teachers.
We have also been able to extend the degree to which new audiences learn about the CUCE-NYC PAL/CHAT program through publications, such as article pending publishing in the Journal of Extension, 61(4), articles in the Cornell Chronicle and College of Human Ecology Magazine, and workshops and poster presentations at the 2022 National Urban Extension Leadership (NUEL) in Camden, NJ and the 2023 National Health Outreach Conference at Cornell University, Ithaca NY, respectively.
Results
Pre/post survey data collected from youth participants and teen teachers were analyzed by the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) statewide data management unit. One-hundred nineteen youth participants graduated from the CHAT Summer 2023 program at the 4 PAL sites with complete attendance. There were additional youth who participated inconsistently. The EFNEP data management unit analyzed the survey responses of 69 participants from grades 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12 (teen teachers).
The EFNEP findings identified the following notable participant improvements: 87% enhanced abilities and knowledge in selecting foods per Federal Dietary Recommendations, 60% enhanced knowledge or adopted safer food handling practices, and 63% enhanced knowledge or advanced skills in physical activity practices (n=69, n=65, n=64, respectively). Youth and teens alike reap the benefits of cross-age mentoring as well as the support and recognition they receive for their efforts. Both groups of participants derive value from the CHFFF curriculum’s content, along with being recognized via words of affirmation, closing ceremonies, and participation certificates.
Teen teachers are able to use their experiences during the CHAT program as a stepping stone in their future educational pursuits, preparation for the workforce, or ability to be a role model/positive influence in their community, as evidenced by answers provided in their retrospective questionnaires such as, "This program made my summer better…I did feel kinda nervous teaching, but once I got comfortable, I started to enjoy it. The kids were always excited for the lessons and always came up to me asking what they are learning next, or come up to me showing me the Nutrition Facts labels and that makes me think, "Wow, I inspired these kids."
There is also potential for the teens as teachers and cross-age mentoring model between college interns and teens to be further studied. Further exploration of the impact of this model on the college students’ personal habits and future career choices is one topic of particular interest.
