Kids’ Cooking Camps Promote Healthy Lifestyles Among Native American YouthKelly Burdett, Graduate Research Assistant

Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D., Food and Nutrition Specialist

Mary Jean Hunter, Nutrition Education Assistant

Abstract:Native American students between 2nd and 6th grades took part in one of four four-day cooking camps. Students reported increased physical activity and improved knowledge scores post-camp. Parents reported more willingness to try new foods among their children.

Objectives:1) Increase knowledge of safe kitchen

practices2) Increase knowledge and incidence of safe

food handling3) Increase knowledge and incidence of

healthy, cultural traditions

Audience:• Native American children between 2nd and

6th grades were included in this study

Methods:• 4, 4-day cooking day camps were taught

for• 6 hours per day (9:30am-3:30pm).• Meals/snacks were prepared by the

students.• Stories were told emphasizing physical

activities.• Physical activity games were added for fun

and to make exercise interesting for the kids.

• Two to four lessons were taught each day.• Topics included:

• MyPlate: Balancing a Plate• Preparing Snacks and Meals/Label

Reading• Food and Kitchen Safety• Eating on the Run• Get Started Gardening• Food Preservation• Eating Right While Eating Out• Traditional Food Systems/Farm to

Plate

Question Pre Sample size#

Post Sample Size#

t-value Probability

Balancing a Plate 30 28 2.87 0.0058*

Eating on the Run 29 19 3.38 0.0015*

Preparing Snacks and Meals/ Label Reading

32 33 0.44 0.6640

Get Started Gardening 27 27 2.85 0.0063*

Food Preservation 25 26 5.16 <0.0001*

Eating Right While Eating Out

22 23 2.11 0.0419*

Traditional Food Systems/ Farm to Plate

20 20 1.36 0.1806

# Different students chose to attend camp each day. The different sample sizes indicate the number of students present for the pre- and post-test. Post-tests were given after the lesson was taught, or the day after if time was short.* significant at an α = 0.05, p ≤ 0.0500

Evaluation:• Pre- and post-assessments were administered to

evaluate changes in behavior and self-efficacy• Pre- and post-surveys for each lesson were given

to evaluate changes in knowledge and attitudes • Focus groups and phone interviews were

conducted to determine lasting impactsResults:• Students reported more frequent physical activity

(p = 0.032) on the post-assessment.• Students showed improved food safety

knowledge and practice (p = 0.009) as it related to food being left out for long periods on the post assessment.

• Students improved knowledge scores on 5 out of 7 surveys administered, including Balancing a Plate, Eating on the Run, Get Started Gardening, Food Preservation, and Eating Right While Eating Out.

• Students showed increased recognition of quinoa as a whole grain (p = 0.032).

• Students improved their knowledge of the plate proportions recommended on MyPlate (p < 0.050) grains, proteins, and fruits.

• Students demonstrated an increased knowledge of gardening (p = 0.006) on the post-survey.

• Students showed greatly improved knowledge of food preservation (p = 0.000), especially as it related to safe ways to preserve food, where to get information, and how to store food.

• Positive correlations were shown between desire to learn different topics (p < 0.05), indicating that students who desired to learn about one subject were more likely to be open to learning another topic.

• Parents reported their children were more willing to try new foods, especially fruits and vegetables after camp than before attending camp.

Summary: Participants from the Kids’ Cooking Camps in the Renewal at Standing Rock Project showed improvements in physical activity, cooking skills, food safety, and content knowledge.

Table 1. T-test Values for Knowledge Scores as Shown by Number of Correct Responses Pre-Survey to Post-Survey (Post-test minus Pre-test)

The project is supported by the USDA-NIFA under grant number: 2011-68004-30052.    Project Partnership:  The Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Community, Sitting Bull College, North Dakota State University, South Dakota State University, and the USDA Agricultural Resource Service

Figure 1. Camp Schedule and Menu