NATIONAL 4-H HEALTHY LIVING: SUMMARY OF UNITED HEALTHCARE

NATIONAL 4-H HEALTHY LIVING: SUMMARY OF UNITED HEALTHCARE-

FUNDED PROJECTS

PRESENTED TO NATIONAL 4-H COUNCIL

Joseph L. Donaldson, Ph.D.

Extension Specialist

Mitch Naylor Student Staff Assistant

University of Tennessee

May 27, 2014

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National 4-H Healthy Living:

Summary of United Healthcare-Funded Projects

Contents Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................. 3

Introduction........................................................................................................................................... 6

Research Questions............................................................................................................................... 6

Methods................................................................................................................................................. 6

Results................................................................................................................................................... 7

Research Question One – What was the demographic composition and 4-H experience of participants nationally? ..................................................................................................................... 7

Research Question Two – How were 4th – 7th grade participants influenced by the program, if at all, in regards to their nutrition and physical activity?.................................................................... 12

Nutrition (4th – 7th grade participants) ........................................................................................ 12

Physical Activity (4th – 7th grade participants) ........................................................................... 16

Research Question Three – How were 8th – 12th grade participants influenced by the program, if at all, in regards to their nutrition, physical activity, and civic engagement? .................................... 18

Nutrition (8th – 12th grade participants) ...................................................................................... 18

Physical Activity (8th – 12th grade participants) ......................................................................... 22

Civic Engagement (8th – 12th grade participants) ....................................................................... 23

Summary ............................................................................................................................................. 29

Conclusions..................................................................................................................................... 29

Recommendations........................................................................................................................... 31

References........................................................................................................................................... 33

Acknowledgements............................................................................................................................. 33

Appendices.......................................................................................................................................... 34

Appendix A – 4th – 7th Grade Healthy Living Instrument .............................................................. 34

Appendix B – 8th – 12th Grade Healthy Living Instrument ............................................................ 38

Appendix C – State Summary Information .................................................................................... 44

Data Analysis Team............................................................................................................................ 45

Contact Information ............................................................................................................................ 45

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National 4-H Healthy Living: Summary of United Healthcare-Funded Projects

Executive Summary Overview – Through the generous support of United Healthcare, National 4-H Council has engaged Cooperative Extension 4-H programs throughout the country in local efforts aimed to improve the nutrition knowledge, food choices, and physical activity of young people. Grantees are implementing programs to improve specific behaviors (e.g., eating vegetables for a snack and reducing consumption of high-fat foods) that lead to a healthy lifestyle. The grantees are required to use the 4-H Common Measures software and instruments for data collection. The data collection includes two instruments completed by youth participants, one for grades 4 – 7 and another for grades 8 – 12. Both instruments cover nutrition knowledge, physical activity, and food choices; the instrument for grades 8 –12 also includes awareness of community, culture, and engagement and understanding. Purpose – The purpose of this project was to analyze data files from participating states and create a national picture of the 4-H Healthy Living programs funded by United Healthcare. Methodology – Evaluation data was entered by state grantees in the 4-H Common Measures software. National 4-H Council transmitted Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (IBM SPSS Statistics) files to the University of Tennessee for analysis. SPSS version 21.0 was used for the data analysis. The 4th – 7th grade instrument had 14 items, and the 8th – 12th grade instrument had 20 items. Not all states used all questions, and some states used additional questions. Missing values were ignored through pairwise deletion; deleting only those missing values for a case rather than excluding the case from the entire data set. Only descriptive statistics were used, for example, mean and percentage. Findings/Conclusion – The data file held 2,332 cases. The majority of students (66.8%) were in grades 4 – 7 with a mean of sixth grade. Among 4th – 7th graders, seven in ten (70.6%) were in their first year of 4-H participation. Among 8th – 12th grade respondents, four in ten (41.1%) had been in 4-H three or more years. The majority of the 4th – 7th grade participants (52.2%; n=4875) and the 8th – 12th grade participants (60%; n=1858) were female. The mean age of 4th – 7th grade participants was 10.47 years, and the mean age of 8th – 12th grade participants was 14.31 years. In regards to race, the majority (54.7%) of 4th – 7th grade participants were non-white (American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander). The largest percentage of 8th – 12th grade participants were white (n=275; 56.5%). The majority of both 4th – 7th graders (n=1155; 71.5%) and 8th – 12th graders (n=387; 83.9%) were not Hispanic or Latino.

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The project produced many positive outcomes for young people. The youth responses to the project’s outcome indicators indicate a progression from learning (knowledge and attitudes) to action (choices and behaviors). Among the 1,825 participants in grades 4 – 7, the outcomes included: Nutrition Knowledge

• 95.2% learned how to make healthy food choices. • 94.9% learned why it is important for to eat a healthy diet.

Nutrition Choices/Behaviors

• 92.6% drink more water. • 88.4% eat more fruits and vegetables.

Physical Activity Attitudes

• 92.6% reported “being active is good for me.” • 91.5% reported “physical activity will help me stay fit.”

Physical Activity Behaviors

• 77.8% report they “always” or “usually” do moderate physical activities like walking, helping out around the house, raking leaves, or using the stairs.

• 63.7% % report they “always” or “usually” exercise every day.

Among the project’s 507 participants in grades 8 – 12, the following outcomes were reported. Nutrition Knowledge

• 98.1% learned why it is important for them to eat a healthy diet. • 97% learned how to make healthy food choices.


• 93.3% eat more fruits and vegetables. • 90.5% drink more water.

Civic Engagement Knowledge and Skills

• 98.3% tries to figure out if they are just hearing one side of the story on a given issue. • 91.9% are able to lead a group in making a decision.

Civic Engagement Intentions

• 63.5% are encouraged to volunteer more. • 57.4% plan to work on projects to better their community.

Participants in grades 8 – 12 were specifically asked about the amount of time they spend watching TV, playing video games, looking at a computer, smartphone, or tablet (for something that is not for school) on a school day. In this study, the mean number of hours spent watching television on a school day was 1.49 hours. The mean number of hours spent playing video games, looking at a computer, smartphone, or tablet (for something that is not for school) on an average school day was 1.90 hours. In comparison, the number of days in the past week that respondents had been active for a total of at least 60 minutes per day was 3.16. One in four (25.5%) spend more than three hours per

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day playing video games, looking at a computer, smartphone, or tablet (for something that is not for school) on a school day. Recommendations – The extent to which the outcomes were achieved indicate that the program was successfully implemented. Given the positive youth outcomes produced for nutrition, physical activity, and civic engagement, these programs should continue. The results suggest that the 4-H Common Measures approach is a valuable evaluation and reporting solution for projects funded by National 4-H Council and for the Cooperative Extension System in general. The project’s standard evaluation instruments were consistently used across states without changes. It is recommended that this uniformity continue. In addition, youth programs must consider how youth spend their time using technology. It is recommended that state and local 4-H professionals and volunteers discuss approaches to mediate this phenomenon and its potential influences on youth health.

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Introduction National 4-H Council, through the generous support of United Healthcare, funded 23 grantees in the 4-H Healthy Living initiative. These grantees were requested to use the same 4-H Common Measures instruments (Le Menestrel & Walahoski, 2013) for program evaluation purposes. One tool was provided for participants in grades 4 – 7 and a different tool for participants in grades 8 – 12. The tool for grades 8 – 12 included sections of the Citizenship Common Measures survey to assess leadership development by the teens engaged with program planning and delivery. The goal was 35,000 youth participating in United Healthcare programming at the elementary and middle school levels and 1,000 teens engaged as leaders. For program evaluation purposes, the goal was at least 20% participation in the evaluation. Program dosage was set at four to six hours for youth participants to have their impact assessed. Evaluation data was entered by state grantees in the 4-H Common Measures software.

Research Questions The following questions guided this study:

1. What was the demographic composition and 4-H experience of participants? 2. How were 4th – 7th grade participants influenced by the program, if at all, in regards to their

nutrition and physical activity? 3. How were 8th – 12th grade participants influenced by the program, if at all, in regards to their

nutrition, physical activity, and civic engagement?

Methods As previously stated, the project goal was 35,000 youth participating in United Healthcare programming at the elementary and middle school levels and 1,000 teens engaged as leaders. For program evaluation purposes, the goal was at least 20% participation in the evaluation. Program dosage was set at four to six hours for youth participants to have their impact assessed. Evaluation data was entered by state grantees in the 4-H Common Measures software. National 4-H Council transmitted Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (IBM SPSS Statistics) files to the University of Tennessee for analysis. SPSS version 21.0 was used for the data analysis. The 4 – 7th grade instrument had 14 items (Appendix A), and the 8th – 12th grade instrument had 20 items (Appendix B). Not all states used all questions, and some states used additional questions. Any additional questions were not considered in this analysis. It should be noted that the total number of respondents per question varies as not all respondents answered all questions. Percentages listed throughout this report describe the total number of respondents who answered the question rather than the total group of students participating in the survey.

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Missing values were ignored through pairwise deletion; deleting only those missing values for a case rather than excluding the case from the entire data set. Only descriptive statistics were used, for example, mean, mode, and percentage; inferential statistics were not reported. The summary provided here uses text, tables, and graphs to address the research questions. In some cases, the strongly disagree and disagree responses were collapsed to show disagreement, and agree and strongly agree responses were collapsed to show agreement which is a common method for simplifying and describing responses (Donaldson, 2014).

Results

ResearchQuestionOne–Whatwasthedemographiccompositionand4-Hexperienceofparticipantsnationally? Of the 2,075 youth who answered the questions about grade, the majority of students (53.7%) were in grades 4 – 7 with a mean of fifth grade (µ: 5.53; S.D.: 2.691); there were 394 fifth graders (19%). Among respondents, the single largest group was described as other (n=544; 23.4%). This group represented collapsed data that included grade 2, grade 3, and “other”. The smallest group of respondents by grade were 12th graders (n=58; 2.8%). See Table 1 for program participants’ grades in school. Table 1 Grades in School of Program Participants

Grade N (2075) % (100%) µ (S.D.) 4th grade 290 14.0 5.53(S.D.=2.691) 5th grade 394 19.0 6th grade 217 10.5 7th grade 212 10.2 8th grade 130 6.3 9th grade 79 3.8 10th grade 85 4.1 11th grade 66 3.2 12th grade 58 2.8 Othera 544 23.4

a Includes all other answers provided.

Among 4th – 7th graders, the majority (n=983; 58%) were in their first year of 4-H participation. Three in ten (n=512; 30.2%) were in the second year of 4-H and 11.9% (n=201) had been in 4-H three or more years. The mean was 1.54 years of 4-H participation. Among 8th – 12th grade respondents, the mean was 1.97 years of 4-H participation. Four in ten (n=179; 41.5%) were in their first year of 4-H participation, followed by those with three or more years of 4-H participation (n=167; 38.7%) and second year participants (n=85; 19.7%).

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Regarding weekly hours spent in 4-H, the 4th – 7th graders (µ=1.76; S.D.=.847) and the 8th – 12th graders (µ=1.79; S.D.=.758). The highest percentage of both 4th – 7th graders (n=839; 50.5) and 8th – 12th graders (n=179; 41.6%) reported spending less than one hour per week in 4-H. The highest percentage of 4th – 7th graders were involved in in-school 4-H programs (n=687; 37.6%), followed by after-school programs (n=247; 13.5%). The highest percentage of 8th – 12th graders were involved in clubs (n=204; 40.2%), followed by local fairs/events (n=152; 30%). See Table 2. Table 2 4-H Experiences of Program Participants 4-H Experiences

4th – 7th grade participants 8th – 12th grade participants

N % µ (S.D.) N % µ (S.D.) Years Participating in 4-H 1696 100 1.54(.697) 431 100 1.97(.897)

First Year 983 58.0 179 41.5

Second Year 512 30.2 85 19.7

Three or More Years 201 11.9

167 38.7

Weekly Hours Spent in 4-H 1662 100 1.76(.847) 430 100 1.79(.758)

Less than one hour 839 50.5 179 41.6

Between one and three hours 377 22.7 164 38.1

More than three hours 446 26.8 87 20.2

4-H Involvement a

Clubs 205 11.2 204 40.2

Camps 148 8.1 61 12.0

After-school programs 247 13.5 42 8.3

In-school programs 687 37.6 42 8.3

Local fairs/events 91 5.0 152 30.0

Community service projects 17 0.9 101 19.9

Working on projects at home 26 1.4 51 10.1

Other 333 18.2

44 8.7

a4-H Involvement does not equal 100% as respondents were asked to indicate each method that applied to them. The mean age of 4th – 7th grade participants was 10.21 years (S.D.=1.991), and the mean age of 8th – 12th grade participants was 13.5 years (S.D. 3.460). The majority of the 4th – 7th grade participants were female (57%; n=992), and the majority of the 8th – 12th grade participants were female (65.9%; n=311). The majority of 4th – 7th graders (54.7%) were non-white (American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander). The largest

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percentage of 4th – 7th grade participants were white (n=508; 45.3%) followed by black or African-American (n=468; 41.7%). Similarly, the largest percentage of 8th – 12th grade participants were white (n=275; 56.5%) followed by black or African-American (n=89; 18.4%). The majority of both 4th – 7th graders (n=1155; 71.5%) and 8th – 12th graders (n=387; 83.9%) were not Hispanic or Latino. Table 3 shows the breakdown of respondents by age, ethnicity, and race. Table 3 Age, Gender, Race, and Ethnicity of Program Participants 4th – 7th grade participants 8th – 12th grade participants N % µ (S.D.) N % µ (S.D.) Age 1651 100 10.21(1.991) 492 100 13.50(3.460)

≤9 625 37.9 107 21.8 10 325 19.7 9 1.8 11 311 18.8 5 1.0 12 231 14.0 4 0.8 13 62 3.8 61 12.4 14 55 3.3 81 16.5 15 19 1.2 65 13.2 16 8 0.5 67 13.6 17 9 0.5 53 10.8 18 4 0.2 23 4.7 Other 2 0.1 17 3.5

Gender 1739 100 472 100

Female 992 57.0 311 65.9 Male 747 43.0 161 34.1

Ethnicity 1616 100 461 100

Hispanic or Latino 461 28.5 74 16.1 Not Hispanic or Latino 1155 71.5 387 83.9

Race 1121 100 483 100

American Indian or Alaskan Native 69 6.2 44 9.1

Asian 40 3.6 39 8.1 Black or African American

468 41.7 89 18.4

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 36 3.2 38 7.9

White 508 45.3

275 56.5

Note. Row percentages may not total 100.0 due to rounding. Regarding residence of 4th – 7th graders, the highest percentage (n=623; 37.9%) reported town or city population 10,000 – 50,000 followed by rural non-farm residence, population less than 10,000 (n=432; 26.3%). Regarding residence of 8th – 12th graders, the highest percentage (n=164; 33.7%)

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reported town or city with a population 10,000 – 50,000 followed by rural non-farm residence, population less than 10,000 (n=135; 27.7%). Table 4 shows residence of program participants. Table 4 Residence of Program Participants

4th – 7th grade participants

8th – 12th grade participants Residence

N % N % 1644 100 487 100

Farm 159 9.7 89 18.3 Rural (non-farm residence, pop. <10,000) 432 26.3 135 27.7 Town or City (pop. 10,000 – 50,000) 623 37.9 164 33.7 Suburb of a City (pop. > 50,000) 140 8.5 47 9.7 City (pop. >50,000) 290 17.6 82 10.7

Note. Row percentages may not total 100.0 due to rounding. The following states/territories provided 4th – 7th grade data for this project: Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas. The following states/territories provided 8th – 12th grade data for this project: Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas. The number of respondents in each of the participating states/territories is shown in Table 5.

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Table 5

Participation by State 4th – 7th grade participants 8th – 12th grade participants

State N % N % Arizona 25 1.4 15 3.0 Florida 18 1.0 27 5.3 Louisiana 71 3.9 107 21.1 Mississippi 325 17.8 25 4.9 Nebraska 29 1.6 - - New York 131 7.2 91 17.9 Pennsylvania 397 21.8 185 36.5 Tennessee 198 10.8 51 10.1 Texas 631 34.6 6 1.2 Total 1825 100 507 100

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ResearchQuestionTwo–Howwere4th–7thgradeparticipantsinfluencedbytheprogram,ifatall,inregardstotheirnutritionandphysicalactivity? This section describes responses to the 4th – 7th grade instrument which focused on two constructs: healthy nutrition choices (i.e., eating fruit for a snack) and physical activity (i.e., exercising 60 minutes every day).

Nutrition(4th–7thgradeparticipants) Participants were asked how hard it was to make a given nutrition choice because of the 4-H Healthy Living Program. Answer choices were “not hard at all,” “a little hard,” and “very hard”. The following percentages of participants surveyed indicated that as a result of the 4-H Healthy Living program, the following nutrition choices were “not hard at all” –

• 81.9% eat fruit for a snack. • 72.1% drink less Kool-Aid • 68.5% eat a low-fat snack like pretzels instead of chips. • 67% drink less soda pop. • 66.8% choose water instead of soda pop or Kool-Aid when thirsty. • 65.9% choose a small instead of a larger order of French fries.

Table 6 shows responses for nine different nutrition choices.

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Table 6

Nutrition Choices of 4th – 7th Grade Participants

Not hard at all A little hard Very hard How hard would it be for you to N % N % N %

Eat fruit for a snack (N: 1665) 1364 81.9 265 15.9 39 2.2

Eat vegetables for a snack (N:1658) 888 53.6 608 36.7 162 9.2

Choose water instead of soda pop or Kool-Aid when you are thirsty (N: 1726) 1153 66.8 453 26.2 120 7.0

Drink 1% or skim milk instead of 2% or whole milk (N: 1658) 947 57.1 509 30.7 202 12.2

Choose a small instead of a large order of French fries (N: 1641) 1082 65.9 402 24.5 157 9.6

Eat smaller servings of high fat foods like French fries, chips, snack cakes, cookies, or ice cream (N: 1668) 975 58.5 458 27.5 235 14.1

Eat a low-fat snack like pretzels instead of chips (N: 1650) 1131 68.5 402 24.4 117 7.1

Drink less soda pop (N: 1659) 1111 67.0 394 23.7 154 9.3

Drink less Kool-Aid (N: 1711) 1233 72.1 362 21.2 116 6.8 Note. Row percentages may not total 100.0 due to rounding.

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Participants were asked to respond to four nutrition items that measured general learning that resulted from participation in the 4-H Healthy Living program. The scale was 1=strongly agree, 2=agree, 3=disagree, 4=strongly disagree, and a separate answer choice was provided to indicate “not applicable to my 4-H experience”. The following percentages of participants surveyed indicated “strongly agree” or agree” to these statements:

• 95.2% learned how to make healthy food choices. • 94.9% learned why it is important for to eat a healthy diet. • 92.4% learned the foods they should eat every day. • 92.4% learned what makes up a balanced diet.

See Table 7 for the nutrition knowledge items, responses, percentages, means, and standard deviations. Table 7 Nutrition Knowledge of 4th – 7th Grade Participants

Strongly Agree/Agree

Strongly Disagree/Disagree

Not Applicable to My 4-H Experience

Knowledge Itemsa N % N % N % µ (S.D.)

I learned the foods I should eat every day (N: 1708) 1578 92.4 60 3.5 70 4.1 1.49(.600)

I learned what makes up a balanced diet (N: 1713) 1582 92.4 109 6.4 22 1.3 1.60(.657)

I learned why it is important for me to eat a healthy diet (N: 1708) 1621 94.9 69 4.0 18 1.1 1.49(.620)

I learned how to make healthy food choices (N: 1701) 1620 95.2 70 4.1 11 0.6 1.45(.613) Note. Row percentages may not total 100.0 due to rounding. aCollapsed data; scale was 1=strongly agree, 2=agree, 3=disagree, and 4=strongly disagree.

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Participants were asked to respond to six nutrition behaviors that measured general change that resulted from participation in the 4-H Healthy Living program. The scale was 1=strongly agree, 2=agree, 3=disagree, 4=strongly disagree, and a separate answer choice was provided to indicate “not applicable to my 4-H experience”. The following percentages of participants surveyed indicated “strongly agree” or agree” to these statements:

• 92.6% drink more water. • 88.4% eat more fruits and vegetables. • 83.4% eat more whole grains. • 79.8% eat less junk food. • 79.1% encourage their family to eat meals together.

Table 8 shows the nutrition behaviors, responses, percentages, means, and standard deviations. Table 8 Nutrition Behaviors of 4th – 7th Grade Participants




Behaviorsa

N % N % N % µ (S.D.)

I eat more fruits and vegetables (N: 1714) 1515 88.4 182 10.6 17 1.0 1.62(.723)

I eat more whole grains (N:1701 ) 1418 83.4 260 15.3 23 1.4 1.74(.771)

I eat less junk food (N: 1710) 1364 79.8 324 18.9 22 1.3 1.85(.848)

I drink more water (N: 1707) 1581 92.6 108 6.3 18 1.1 1.49(.665)

I encourage my family to eat meals together (N: 1489) 1178 79.1 255 17.1 56 3.8 1.72(.854) Note. Row percentages may not total 100.0 due to rounding. aCollapsed data; scale was 1=strongly agree, 2=agree, 3=disagree, and 4=strongly disagree.

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PhysicalActivity(4th–7thgradeparticipants) Participants were asked to respond to two items that measured physical activity changes that resulted from participation in the 4-H Healthy Living program. Response categories were always, usually, sometimes, and never. Regarding moderate physical activities like walking, helping out around the house, raking leaves, or using the stairs, the highest percentage indicated “always” (n=865; 48.6%), followed by “usually” (n=520; 29.2%), “sometimes” (n=342; 19.2%) and “never” (n=53; 3%). For the item, “I exercise 60 minutes every day,” the highest percentage responded “always” (n=755; 42.8%) followed by “usually” (n=431; 24.5%), “sometimes” (n=479; 27.2%), and “never” (n=97, 5.5%); see Table 9.

Table 9 Physical Activity Behaviors of 4th – 7th Grade Participants Always Usually Sometimes Never N % N % N % N % I do moderate physical activities like walking, helping around the house, raking leaves, or using the stairs (N: 1780) 865 48.6 520 29.2 342 19.2 53 3.0

I exercise 60 minutes every day (N: 1762) 755 42.8 431 24.5 479 27.2 97 5.5 Note. Row percentages may not total 100.0 due to rounding.

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Participants were asked to respond to three physical activity items that measured general attitudes toward physical activity. The following percentages of participants surveyed indicated that they “agreed” to these statements:

• 92.6% reported “being active is good for me.” • 91.5% reported “physical activity will help me stay fit.” • 87.1% reported “being active is fun.”

Less than 2% of respondents indicated “I do not agree” to each of the three physical activity items (see Table 10). Table 10 Physical Activity Attitudes of 4th – 7th Grade Participants I agree I’m not sure I do not agree

Items N % N % N %

Being active is fun (N: 1774) 1545 87.1 199 11.2 30 1.7

Being active is good for me (N: 1773) 1641 92.6 108 6.1 24 1.4

Physical activity will help me stay fit (N: 1769) 1619 91.5 128 7.2 22 1.2 Note. Row percentages may not total 100.0 due to rounding.

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ResearchQuestionThree–Howwere8th–12thgradeparticipantsinfluencedbytheprogram,ifatall,inregardstotheirnutrition,physicalactivity,andcivicengagement?

Nutrition(8th–12thgradeparticipants) Participants were asked to respond to six nutrition items that measured general learning that resulted from participation in the 4-H Healthy Living program. The scale was 1=strongly agree, 2=agree, 3=disagree, 4=strongly disagree, and a separate answer choice was provided to indicate “not applicable to my 4-H experience”. The following percentages of participants surveyed indicated “strongly agree” or agree” to these statements:

• 98.1% learned why it is important for to eat a healthy diet. • 97% learned how to make healthy food choices. • 93.9% learned the importance of whole grains in their diet. • 85.1% learned what makes up a balanced diet. • 83.3% learned the foods they should eat every day. • 82.4% learned how many calories they need to eat each day. • 75.7% learned the importance of fruits and vegetables in their diet.

Slightly more than one in five reported they did not learn the importance of fruits and vegetables I their diet (n=97; 23.2%). See Table 11 for the nutrition knowledge items, responses, percentages, means, and standard deviations.

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Table 11 Nutrition Knowledge of 8th – 12th Grade Participants




Knowledge Itemsa

N % N % N % µ (S.D.)

I learned the foods I should eat every day (N: 430) 358 83.3 52 12.1 20 4.7 1.68(.829)

I learned what makes up a balanced diet (N: 429) 365 85.1 44 10.3 20 4.7 1.78(.765)

I learned why it is important for me to eat a healthy diet (N: 428) 420 98.1 4 0.9 4 0.9 1.47(.518)

I learned how to make healthy food choices (N: 332) 322 97.0 5 1.5 5 1.5 1.46(.529)

I learned how many calories I need to eat each day (N: 296) 244 82.4 38 12.8 14 4.7 1.78(.686)

I learned the importance of fruits and vegetables in my diet (N: 419) 317 75.7 97 23.2 5 1.2 1.77(.805)

I learned the importance of whole grains in my diet (N: 328) 308 93.9 15 4.6 5 1.5 1.58(.603) Note. Row percentages may not total 100.0 due to rounding. aCollapsed data; scale was 1=strongly agree, 2=agree, 3=disagree, and 4=strongly disagree. Participants were asked to respond to seven food choices that measured general behaviors that resulted from participation in the 4-H Healthy Living program. The scale was 1=strongly agree, 2=agree, 3=disagree, 4=strongly disagree, and a separate answer choice was provided to indicate “not applicable to my 4-H experience”. The following percentages of participants surveyed indicated “strongly agree” or agree” to these statements:

• 88.8% make food choices based on what they know their body needs. • 87.5% think about what their body needs during the day. • 83.8% encourage their family to eat meals together. • 74.6% match their food intake to the number of calories they need to eat each day. • 71.3% make healthy food choices whenever they can.

Slightly more than one in five participants (n=91; 22.9%) do not match their food intake to the number of calories they need each day. See Table 12 for the nutrition knowledge items, responses, percentages, means, and standard deviations.

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Table 12 Food Choices of 8th – 12th Grade Participants




Food Choicesa

N % N % N % µ (S.D.)

I think about what foods my body needs during the day (N: 328) 287 87.5 30 9.1 11 3.4 1.71(.643)

I make food choices based on what I know my body needs (N: 421) 374 88.8 42 10.0 5 1.2 1.82(.609)

I make healthy food choices whenever I can (N: 428) 305 71.3 72 16.8 51 12.0 1.77(.843)

I match my food intake to the number of calories I need to eat each day (N: 398) 297 74.6 91 22.9 10 2.5 19.3(.791)

I encourage my family to eat meals together (N: 365) 306 83.8 46 12.6 13 3.6 1.70(.743) Note. Row percentages may not total 100.0 due to rounding. aCollapsed data; scale was 1=strongly agree, 2=agree, 3=disagree, and 4=strongly disagree.

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Participants were asked to respond to five nutrition behaviors that resulted from participation in the 4-H Healthy Living program. The scale was 1=strongly agree, 2=agree, 3=disagree, 4=strongly disagree, and a separate answer choice was provided to indicate “not applicable to my 4-H experience”. The following percentages of participants surveyed indicated “strongly agree” or agree” to these statements:

• 93.3% eat more fruits and vegetables. • 90.5% drink more water. • 86.8% eat more whole grains. • 83.7% drink less soda. • 82.1% eat less junk food.

Table 13 shows the collapsed data for the nutrition behaviors of 8th-12th grade respondents. Table 13 Nutrition Behaviors of 8th – 12th Grade Participants




Behaviorsa

N % N % N % µ (S.D.)

I eat more fruits and vegetables (N: 432) 403 93.3 23 5.3 6 1.4 1.56(.627)

I eat more whole grains (N: 426) 370 86.8 49 11.5 7 1.6 1.73(.686)

I eat less junk foods (N: 430) 353 82.1 71 16.5 6 1.4 1.88(.754)

I drink less soda (N: 430) 360 83.7 63 14.7 7 1.6 1.76(.782)

I drink more water (N: 430) 389 90.5 35 8.1 6 1.4 1.54(.687) Note. Row percentages may not total 100.0 due to rounding. aCollapsed data; scale was 1=strongly agree, 2=agree, 3=disagree, and 4=strongly disagree. 8th – 12th grade participants were asked if their family ate “at least one meal a day together,” and 78.8% (n=320) responded yes (Table 14). Table 14 Family Meals of 8th – 12th Grade Participants Yes No N % N %

My family eats at least one meal a day together (N: ) 320 78.8 86 21.2

22

PhysicalActivity(8th–12thgradeparticipants) Participants were asked to name the number of days in the past seven they were physically active for a total of at least 60 minutes. The mean was 3.16 days (S.D.=2.057). The mean number of hours spent watching television on a school day was 1.49 hours (S.D.=1.334). The mean number of hours spent playing video games, looking at a computer, smartphone, or tablet (for something that is not for school) on an average school day was 1.90 (S.D.=1.456). One in three respondents (n=92; 30.6%) spent two hours playing video games, looking at a computer, smartphone, or tablet (for something that is not for school) on an average school day. Table 15 Physical Activity Behaviors of 8th – 12th Grade Participants

8th – 12th grade participants Behaviors N % µ (S.D.)

Number of days in the past seven physically active for a total of at least 60 minutes per day 394 100 3.16(2.057)

0 days 37 9.4 1 day 62 15.7 2 days 65 16.5 3 days 64 16.2 4 days 63 16.0 5 days 48 12.2 6 days 15 3.8 7 days 40 10.2

Number of hours spent watching television on an average school day 316 100 1.49(1.334)

I do not watch TV on an average school day 80 25.3 Less than one hour per day 103 32.6 2 hours per day 75 23.7 3 hours per day 29 9.2 4 hours per day 14 4.4 5 or more hours per day 15 4.7

Number of hours spent playing video games, looking at a computer, smartphone, or tablet (for something that is not for school) on an average school day

301 100 1.90(1.456)

I do not play video games or computer games or use a computer for something that is not school work 49 16.3 Less than one hour per day 83 27.6 2 hours per day 92 30.6 3 hours per day 31 10.3 4 hours per day 17 5.6 5 or more hours per day 29 9.6

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CivicEngagement(8th–12thgradeparticipants) To measure community awareness, seven items were used. The scale was 1=strongly agree, 2=agree, 3=disagree, and 4=strongly disagree. The means ranged from 1.73 (“I really care about my community”) to 2.14 (“I’m interested in others’ opinions about public issues”) indicating agreement. The following percentages of participants surveyed indicated “strongly agree” or “agree” to these statements:

• 98.3% tries to figure out if they are just hearing one side of the story on a given issue. • 88% listen to everyone’s views whether they agree or not. • 84.5% are aware of the important needs in their communities. • 81.8% really care about their communities. • 78.8% are interested in others’ opinions about public issues. • 77.8% pay attention to news events that affect their communities. • 71% talk to their friends about issues affecting their communities, states, or world.

Table 16 shows the responds for the community awareness indicators.

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Table 16 Community Awareness of 8th – 12th Grade Participants Strongly

Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree

N % N % N % N % µ (S.D.)

I pay attention to news events that affect my community (N: 238) 88 37.0 97 40.8 43 18.1 10 4.2 1.89(.843)

I am aware of the important needs in my community (N:239) 104 43.5 98 41.0 34 14.2 3 1.3 1.73(.747) I really care about my community (N: 236) 100 42.4 93 39.4 40 16.9 3 1.3 1.77(.771)

I talk to my friends about issues affecting my community, state, or world (N: 231) 92 39.8 72 31.2 54 23.4 13 5.6 1.95(.926)

I’m interested in others’ opinions about public issues (N: 231) 99 42.9 83 35.9 39 16.9 10 4.3 1.83(.862)

I listen to everyone’s views whether I agree or not (N: 233) 121 51.9 84 36.1 22 9.4 6 2.6 1.63(.761)

When you hear about an issue, I try to figure out if they are just telling one side of the story (N: 230) 144 62.6 82 35.7 3 1.3 1 0.2 1.40(.541)

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To measure cultural awareness, four items were used. The scale was 1=strongly agree, 2=agree, 3=disagree, and 4=strongly disagree. The means ranged from 1.57 (“I respect people from different cultures”) to 1.93 (“I explore cultural differences”) indicating strong agreement. The following percentages of participants surveyed indicated “strongly agree” or “agree” to these statements:

• 87.9% have learned about people who are different from themselves. • 81.2% respect people from other cultures. • 78.5% explore cultural differences. • 76.6% value learning about other cultures.

Table 17 shows the responses for the cultural awareness indicators. Table 17 Cultural Awareness of 8th – 12th Grade Participants

Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree

N % N % N % N % µ (S.D.)

I explore cultural differences (N: 172) 87 50.6 48 27.9 18 10.5 19 11.0 1.82(1.013)

I value learning about other cultures (N: 205) 100 48.8 57 27.8 32 15.6 16 7.8 1.82(.964)

I respect people from different cultures (N: 191) 113 59.2 42 22.0 17 8.9 19 9.9 1.70(.996)

I have learned about people who are different from me (N: 232) 129 55.6 75 32.3 22 9.5 6 2.6 1.59(.768) An additional measure of civic engagement was general engagement and understanding. Six items were used to measure this construct. The scale was 1=strongly agree, 2=agree, 3=disagree, and 4=strongly disagree. The means ranged from 1.61 (“I treat everyone fairly and equally when I am in charge of a group”) to 1.99 (“I can apply knowledge in ways that solve ‘real-life’ problems through community service”) indicating strong agreement. The following percentages of participants surveyed indicated “strongly agree” or “agree” to these statements:

• 91.9% are able to lead a group in making a decision. • 90% feel they can apply knowledge in ways that solve “real-life” problems through

community service. • 89.3% feel they can help make sure everyone gets an opportunity to say what they think. • 88.1% feel they can make a difference in their communities through community service. • 85.6% treat everyone fairly and equally when in charge of a group.

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• 80.3% have gained skills through community service that will help them in the future. Table 18 shows the responds for the civic engagement and understanding construct. Table 18 Engagement and Understanding of 8th – 12th Grade Participants Strongly

Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree

N % N % N % N % µ (S.D.)

I can make a difference in my community through community service (N: 235) 132 56.2 75 31.9 23 9.9 5 2.1 1.58(.755)

I can apply knowledge in ways that solve “real-life” problems through community service (N: 229) 116 50.7 90 39.3 20 8.7 3 1.3 1.61(.703)

I gained skills through serving my community that will help me in the future (N: 233) 113 48.5 74 31.8 42 18.0 4 1.7 1.73(.815)

I treat everyone fairly and equally when I am in charge of a group (N: 229) 117 51.1 75 34.5 26 11.4 7 3.1 1.66(.798)

I am able to lead a group in making a decision (N: 233) 129 55.4 89 36.5 13 5.6 6 2.6 1.55(.718)

I help make sure everyone gets an opportunity to say what they think (N: 234) 132 56.4 77 32.9 19 8.1 6 2.6 1.57(.751)

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The civic engagement intentions were measured using seven items. The responses were definitely, maybe, probably not, and definitely not. The following percentages represent the respondents who answered “definitely” to the following civic engagement intentions:

• 63.5% are encouraged to volunteer more. • 57.4% plan to work on projects to better their community. • 57% are interested in a career that helps others. • 53.5% will continue to better their community after high school. • 47% would enjoy hosting someone from another culture. • 41.4% are interested in working in government – such as school board, Director of parks

and rec, legislator, legislative aide, intern. • 41.3% can contact someone they have never met before to get their help with a problem.

Table 19 shows the civic engagement intentions.

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Table 19 Civic Engagement of 8th – 12th Grade Participants

Definitely Maybe Probably Not

Definitely Not

Intentions N % N % N % N %

I would enjoy hosting someone from another culture (N: 234) 110 47.0 88 37.6 33 14.1 3 1.3

I can contact someone I’ve never met before to get their help with a problem (N: 235) 97 41.3 92 39.1 41 17.4 5 2.1

I plan to work on projects to better my community (N: 235) 135 57.4 88 37.4 9 3.8 3 1.3

I am encouraged to volunteer more (N: 219) 139 63.5 66 30.1 11 5.0 3 1.4

After high school I will continually work to better my community (N: 228) 122 53.5 76 33.3 23 10.1 7 3.1

I am interested in a career that helps others (N: 230) 131 57.0 69 30.0 26 11.3 4 1.7

I am interested in working in government – such as school board, Director of parks and rec, legislator, legislative aide, intern. (N: 232) 96 41.4 80 34.5 41 17.7 15 6.5

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Summary This section discusses conclusions and recommendations for future programming.

ConclusionsThe data file held 2,332 cases. The majority of students (53.7%) were in grades 4-7 with a mean of fifth grade. Among 4th – 7th graders, 58% were in their first year of 4-H participation. Among 8th – 12th grade respondents, four in ten (41.5%) were in their first year of 4-H participation. The majority of the 4th – 7th grade participants were female (57%; n=992), and the majority of the 8th – 12th grade participants were female (65.9%; n=311). The mean age of 4th – 7th grade participants was 10.21 years, and the mean age of 8th – 12th grade participants was 13.50 years. In regards to race, the majority (54.7%) of 4th – 7th grade participants were non-white (American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander). The largest percentage of 8th – 12th grade participants were white (n=275; 56.5%). The majority of both 4th – 7th graders (n=1155; 71.5%) and 8th – 12th graders (n=387; 83.9%) were not Hispanic or Latino. The project produced many positive outcomes for young. The youth responses to the project’s outcome indicators indicate a progression from learning (knowledge and attitudes) to action (choices and behaviors). Among the 1,825 respondents in grades 4 – 7, the outcomes listed below were achieved. Nutrition Knowledge

• 95.2% learned how to make healthy food choices. • 94.9% learned why it is important for to eat a healthy diet. • 92.4% learned the foods they should eat every day. • 92.4% learned what makes up a balanced diet.


• 92.6% drink more water. • 88.4% eat more fruits and vegetables. • 83.4% eat more whole grains. • 81.9% eat fruit for a snack. • 79.8% eat less junk food. • 79.1% encourage their family to eat meals together. • 72.1% drink less Kool-Aid • 68.5% eat a low-fat snack like pretzels instead of chips. • 67% drink less soda pop. • 66.8% choose water instead of soda pop or Kool-Aid when thirsty. • 65.9% choose a small instead of a larger order of French fries.

Physical Activity Attitudes

• 92.6% reported “being active is good for me.” • 91.5% reported “physical activity will help me stay fit.”

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• 87.1% reported “being active is fun.” Physical Activity Behaviors

• 77.8% report they “always” or “usually” do moderate physical activities like walking, helping out around the house, raking leaves, or using the stairs.

• 63.7% % report they “always” or “usually” exercise every day.

Among the project’s 507 respondents in grades 8 – 12, the following outcomes were reported. Nutrition Knowledge

• 98.1% learned why it is important for to eat a healthy diet. • 97% learned how to make healthy food choices. • 93.9% learned the importance of whole grains in their diet. • 85.1% learned what makes up a balanced diet. • 83.3% learned the foods they should eat every day. • 82.4% learned how many calories they need to eat each day. • 75.7% learned the importance of fruits and vegetables in their diet.


• 93.3% eat more fruits and vegetables. • 90.5% drink more water. • 88.8% make food choices based on what they know their body needs. • 87.5% think about what their body needs during the day. • 86.8% eat more whole grains. • 83.8% encourage their family to eat meals together. • 83.7% drink less soda. • 82.1% eat less junk food. • 74.6% match their food intake to the number of calories they need to eat each day. • 71.3% make healthy food choices whenever they can.

Civic Engagement Knowledge and Skills

• 98.3% try to figure out if they are just hearing one side of the story on a given issue. • 91.9% are able to lead a group in making a decision. • 90% feel they can apply knowledge in ways that solve “real-life” problems through

community service. • 89.3% make sure everyone gets an opportunity to say what they think. • 88.1% feel they can make a difference in their communities through community service. • 88% listen to everyone’s views whether they agree or not. • 87.9% have learned about people who are different from themselves. • 85.6% treat everyone fairly and equally when in charge of a group. • 84.5% are aware of the important needs in my community. • 81.8% really care about their community. • 81.2% respect people from other cultures. • 80.3% have gained skills through community service that will help them in the future. • 78.5% explore cultural differences. • 78.8% are interested in others’ opinions about public issues.

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• 77.8% pay attention to news events that affect their community. • 76.6% value learning about other cultures. • 71% talk to their friends about issues affecting their community, state, or world.

Civic Engagement Intentions

• 63.5% are encouraged to volunteer more. • 57.4% plan to work on projects to better their community. • 57% are interested in a career that helps others. • 53.5% will continue to better their community after high school.

Participants in grades 8 – 12 were specifically asked about the amount of time they spend watching TV, playing video games, looking at a computer, smartphone, or tablet (for something that is not for school) on a school day. In this study, the mean number of hours spent watching television on a school day was 1.49 hours. The mean number of hours spent playing video games, looking at a computer, smartphone, or tablet (for something that is not for school) on an average school day was 1.90 hours. The number of days in the past week that respondents had been active for a total of at least 60 minutes per day was 3.16. One in four (25.5%) spend more than three hours per day playing video games, looking at a computer, smartphone, or tablet (for something that is not for school) on a school day.

Recommendations Continue 4-H Healthy Living programming and 4-H Common Measures – The United Healthcare-funded Healthy Living programs produced positive youth outcomes regarding nutrition, physical activity, and civic engagement, and these programs should continue. It is recommended that the 4-H Common Measures tools continue to be used to measure the results of 4-H Healthy Living programs. The results of this study suggest that the 4-H Common Measures approach is a valuable evaluation and reporting solution for projects funded by National 4-H Council and for the Cooperative Extension System in general. The continued development of 4-H Common Measures is imperative. It provides collective impact, and it is a high-quality tool for multi-site evaluation and reporting. Data collected for this report could be used for benchmarking program outcomes, setting outcome targets, and comparing program performance in subsequent years. Explore the use of random sampling – The time and effort to collect 2,332 individual surveys is commendable. However, it is likely that similar results could be obtained from a stratified, random sample of participants. It is recommended that National 4-H Council explore techniques to conduct random samples, perhaps stratified by ages of youth and regions of the country served. Encourage the continued uniformity in evaluation instruments – It is recommended to continue uniformity in evaluation instruments. In this project, the standard evaluation instruments were used consistently across states. When standard instruments are implemented without changes, a number of positive results are produced, including the ability to document the nationwide program impact. Explore the technology phenomenon – Youth programs must consider how youth spend their time using technology. One in four (25.5%) 8th – 12th grade respondents reported spending more than three hours per day playing video games, looking at a computer, smartphone, or tablet (for

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something that is not for school) on a school day. A large contributor to this number may be text messaging; nonetheless, this is an alarming number. A study of the Kaiser Family Foundation found that teens were consuming media 7.5 hours a day, and sending on average 60 text messages a day (Ahuja, 2013). Some estimates are that teens switch media 27 times per hour – switching between TV, music, facebook, twitter, surfacing the web, playing video games (Ahuja, 2013). It is recommended that state and local 4-H professionals and volunteers discuss and document approaches to mediate this phenomenon and its potential influences on youth health.

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References Ahuja, M. (2013, Mar. 13). Teens are spending more time consuming media, on mobile devices. The

Washington Post. Available: http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-03-13/news/37675597_1_teens-cellphones-video-games

Donaldson, J.L. (2014). Appraising the Appraiser: Extension Agents' and County Directors'

Perceptions of Their Appraisers. Journal of Extension (52) 2. Available: http://www.joe.org/joe/2014april/rb2.php

Donaldson, J.L., Franck, K.L., Toman, J.J. & Moody, T. (2013). National 4-H healthy living

professional and volunteer development needs assessment: A delphi approach, final report. Available: https://tiny.utk.edu/hlr2013

Le Menestrel, S. and Walahoski, J. (2013). An Introduction to the 4-H Common Measures and the

Online Data Collection System [Video File]. Retrieved from: http://www.4-h.org/about/youth-development-research/

Acknowledgements JoAnne Leatherman, Erica Mabry, Jill Walahoski, and Jessica Bauman are acknowledged for their valuable advice and assistance with this project. We appreciate United Healthcare for their generous support of 4-H Healthy Living programs, including this data analysis project, and we also acknowledge the contributions of the National 4-H Healthy Living Mission Mandate Management Team, National 4-H Council, and 4-H National Headquarters within the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. We are grateful for the state and local Extension professionals and volunteers who provided leadership for this project.

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Appendices

AppendixA–4th–7thGradeHealthyLivingInstrument

4-HCommonMeasures4th–7thGradeHealthyLivingItems

DearParticipant:Youarebeinggiventhissurveybecauseyouarepartofa4-Hprogramorproject,andwearesurveyingyoungpeoplelikeyoutolearnaboutyourexperiences.Thissurveyisvoluntary.Ifyoudonotwanttofilloutthesurvey,youdonotneedto.However,wehopeyouwilltakeafewminutestofillitoutbecauseyouranswersareimportant.

Thissurveyisprivate.Nooneatyourschool,home,or4-Hprogramorprojectwillseeyouranswers.Pleaseanswerallofthequestionsashonestlyasyoucan.Ifyouareuncomfortableansweringaquestion,youmayleaveitblank.Thisisnotatest.Therearenorightorwronganswers,andyouranswerswillnotaffectyourparticipationorplaceintheprograminanyway.Thank you for your help!

SectionI:Tellusaboutyour4-HExperience

Pleaseselecttheresponsesthatbestdescribeyou.

1. Howmanyyearshaveyoubeenparticipatingin4-H?(Markonebox☒.) ☐ Thisismyfirstyear ☐ Thisismysecondyear ☐ Threeormoreyears

2. Whichoneofthefollowingbestdescribeshowmanyhoursyoutypicallyspendin4-H

programs/projectseachweek?(Markonebox☒.) ☐ Lessthanonehour ☐ Betweenoneandthreehours ☐ Morethanthreehours

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3. Whichofthefollowingbestdescribeshowyouareinvolvedin4-H?(Markeachbox☒thatappliestoyou.)

☐ Clubs ☐ Camps ☐ After-schoolprograms ☐ In-schoolprograms ☐ Localfairs/events ☐ Communityserviceprojects ☐ Workingonmyprojectsathome ☐ Other

SectionII:HealthyChoices

4. Pleaseindicatehowharditwouldbetocompletethefollowingactions.(Selectoneresponseineach

rowbymarkingtheappropriatebox☒.)

Howhardwoulditbeforyouto… Nothardatall

Alittlehard Veryhard

Eatfruitforasnack ☐ ☐ ☐

Eatvegetablesforasnack ☐ ☐ ☐

ChoosewaterinsteadofsodapoporKool-Aidwhenyouarethirsty ☐ ☐ ☐

Drink1%orskimmilkinsteadof2%orwholemilk ☐ ☐ ☐

ChooseasmallinsteadofalargeorderofFrenchfries ☐ ☐ ☐

EatsmallerservingsofhighfatfoodslikeFrenchfries,chips,snackcakes,cookies,oricecream ☐ ☐ ☐

Eatalow-fatsnacklikepretzelsinsteadofchips ☐ ☐ ☐

Drinklesssodapop ☐ ☐ ☐

DrinklessKool-Aid ☐ ☐ ☐

5. Pleaseindicatetowhatextentyouagreeordisagreethatyourexperienceinthis4-Hprogramorproject

hasresultedinthefollowingoutcomes.(Selectoneresponseineachrowbymarkingtheappropriatebox☒.)

Asaresultofparticipatingina4-HHealthyLivingProgram…

StronglyAgree

Agree DisagreeStronglyDisagree

NotApplicabletomy4-HExperience

IlearnedthefoodsthatIshouldeat ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

36


StronglyAgree



everydayIlearnedwhatmakesupabalanceddiet ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Ilearnedwhyitisimportantformetoeatahealthydiet ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Ilearnedhowtomakehealthyfoodchoices ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐



Asaresultofparticipatingina4-HHealthyLivingProgramInowtakethefollowingactions…

StronglyAgree



Ieatmorefruitsandvegetables ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐Ieatmorewholegrains ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐Ieatlessjunkfoods ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐Idrinkmorewater ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐Iencouragemyfamilytoeatmealstogether ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

SectionIII:PhysicalActivity

7. Pleasetellushowoftenyoucompletethefollowingtasks.(Selectoneresponseineachrowbymarking

theappropriatebox☒.)

Tellusaboutyou… Always Usually Sometimes Never

Idomoderatephysicalactivitieslikewalking,helpingaroundthehouse,rakingleaves,orusingthestairs

☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Iexercise60minuteseveryday ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐8. Pleaseindicatetowhatextentyouagreeordisagreethatyourexperienceinthis4-Hprogramorproject


Telluswhatyouthink… Iagree I’mnotsureIdonotagree

Beingactiveisfun ☐ ☐ ☐

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Telluswhatyouthink… Iagree I’mnotsureIdonotagree

Beingactiveisgoodforme ☐ ☐ ☐

Physicalactivitywillhelpmestayfit ☐ ☐ ☐

SectionVI:TellusaboutYou

Pleaseselecttheresponsesthatbestdescribesyou.

9. Howoldareyou?

______Age(inyears)

10. Whatgradeareyouin?

______Grade

11. Whichofthefollowingbestdescribesyourgender?(Markonebox☒.) ☐ Female ☐ Male

12. Whichofthefollowingbestdescribeyourrace?(Markeachbox☒thatappliestoyou.) ☐ AmericanIndianorAlaskanNative ☐ Asian ☐ BlackorAfricanAmerican ☐ NativeHawaiianorOtherPacificIslander ☐ White13. Whichofthefollowingbestdescribeyourethnicity?(Markonebox☒.) ☐ HispanicorLatino ☐ NotHispanicorLatino14. Whichofthefollowingbestdescribestheprimaryplacewhereyoulive?(Markonebox☒.) ☐ Farm ☐ Rural(non-farmresidence,pop.<10,000) ☐ TownorCity(pop.10,000–50,000) ☐ SuburbofaCity(pop.>50,000) ☐ City(pop.>50,000)

THANKYOU!

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AppendixB–8th–12thGradeHealthyLivingInstrument

4-HCommonMeasures8th–12thGradeHealthyLivingItems

DearParticipant:Youarebeinggiventhissurveybecauseyouarepartofa4-Hprogramorproject,andwearesurveyingyoungpeoplelikeyoutolearnaboutyourexperiences.Thissurveyisvoluntary.Ifyoudonotwanttofilloutthesurvey,youdonotneedto.However,wehopeyouwilltakeafewminutestofillitoutbecauseyouranswersareimportant.

Thissurveyisprivate.Nooneatyourschool,home,or4-Hprogramorprojectwillseeyouranswers.Pleaseanswerallofthequestionsashonestlyasyoucan.Ifyouareuncomfortableansweringaquestion,youmayleaveitblank.Thisisnotatest.Therearenorightorwronganswers,andyouranswerswillnotaffectyourparticipationorplaceintheprograminanyway.Thank you for your help!

SectionI:Tellusaboutyour4-HExperiencePleaseselecttheresponsesthatbestdescribeyou.1. Howmanyyearshaveyoubeenparticipatingin4-H?(Markonebox☒.) ☐ Thisismyfirstyear ☐ Thisismysecondyear ☐ Threeormoreyears

2. Whichoneofthefollowingbestdescribeshowmanyhoursyoutypicallyspendin4-H

programs/projectseachweek?(Markonebox☒.) ☐ Lessthanonehour ☐ Betweenoneandthreehours ☐ Morethanthreehours

3. Whichofthefollowingbestdescribeshowyouareinvolvedin4-H?(Markeachbox☒thatapplies

toyou.) ☐ Clubs ☐ Camps ☐ After-schoolprograms ☐ In-schoolprograms ☐ Localfairs/events ☐ Communityserviceprojects

39

☐ Workingonmyprojectsathome ☐ Other

SectionII:NutritionKnowledge4. Pleaseindicatetowhatextentyouagreeordisagreethatyourexperienceinthis4-Hprogramorproject



StronglyAgree



IlearnedthefoodsthatIshouldeateveryday ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Ilearnedwhatmakesupabalanceddiet ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Ilearnedwhyitisimportantformetoeatahealthydiet ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Ilearnedhowtomakehealthyfoodchoices ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

IlearnedhowmanycaloriesIneedtoeateachday ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Ilearnedtheimportanceoffruitsandvegetablesinmydiet ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Ilearnedtheimportanceofwholegrainsinmydiet ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

SectionIII:FoodChoices




StronglyAgree



Ithinkaboutwhatfoodsmybodyneedsduringtheday ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

ImakefoodchoicesbasedonwhatIknowmybodyneeds ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

ImakehealthyfoodchoiceswheneverIcan ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

ImatchmyfoodintaketothenumberofcaloriesIneedtoeateachday ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

40


StronglyAgree



Iencouragemyfamilytoeatmealstogether ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐




StronglyAgree



Ieatmorefruitsandvegetables ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐Ieatmorewholegrains ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐Ieatlessjunkfoods ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐Idrinklesssoda ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐Idrinkmorewater ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Pleaseselecttheresponsesthatbestdescribeyou.7. Myfamilyeatsatleastonemealadaytogether. ☐ Yes

☐ No SectionIV:PhysicalActivity

Pleaseselecttheresponsesthatbestdescribesyou.8. Duringthepast7days,howmanydayswereyouphysicallyactiveforatotalofatleast60

minutesperday?(Addupallthetimeyouspentinanykindofphysicalactivitythatincreasedyourheartrateandmadeyoubreathehardsomeofthetime)(Markonebox☒.)

☐ 0days ☐ 1day ☐ 2days ☐ 3days ☐ 4days ☐ 5days ☐ 6days ☐ 7days9. Onanaverageschoolday,howmanyhoursdoyouspendwatchingtelevision?(Markonebox☒.) ☐ IdonotwatchTVonanaverageschoolday ☐ Lessthanonehourperday

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☐ 2hoursperday ☐ 3hoursperday ☐ 4hoursperday ☐ 5ormorehoursperday

10. Onanaverageschoolday,howmanyhoursdoyouplayvideogames,lookingatacomputer,

smartphone,ortabletforsomethingthatisnotforschool?(Markonebox☒.) ☐ Idonotplayvideogamesorcomputergamesoruseacomputerforsomethingthatisnot

schoolwork ☐ Lessthanonehourperday ☐ 2hoursperday ☐ 3hoursperday ☐ 4hoursperday ☐ 5ormorehoursperday

SectionV:AwarenessofCommunity

1. Pleaseindicatetowhatextentyouagreeordisagreethatyourexperienceinthis4-HHealthyLivingprogramthathasresultedinthefollowingoutcomes.(Selectoneresponsein

eachrowbymarkingtheappropriatebox☒.)

Inthis4-HHealthyLiving

program…StronglyAgree

Agree DisagreeStrongly

Disagree

Ipayattentiontonewseventsthataffectmycommunity

☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Iamofawareoftheimportantneedsinmycommunity

☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Ireallycareaboutmycommunity ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Italktomyfriendsaboutissuesaffectingmycommunity,state,

orworld☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

I’minterestedinothers’opinionsaboutpublicissues

☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Ilistentoeveryone’sviews

whetherIagreeornot☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Whenhearaboutanissue,Itrytofigureoutiftheyarejust

tellingonesideofthestory☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

SectionVI:Culture


42


Inthis4-HHealthyLivingprogram…

StronglyAgree


Iexploreculturaldifferences ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Ivaluelearningaboutothercultures

☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Irespectpeoplefromdifferentcultures

☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Ihavelearnedaboutpeoplewho

aredifferentfromme☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

SectionVII:EngagementandUnderstanding



Inthis4-HHealthyLivingprogram…

StronglyAgree


Icanmakeadifferenceinmycommunitythroughcommunity

service☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Icanapplyknowledgeinwaysthatsolve“real-life”problems

thoughcommunityservice☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Igainedskillsthoughservingmycommunitythatwillhelpmein

thefuture☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

ItreateveryonefairlyandequallywhenIaminchargeofagroup

☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Iamabletoleadagroupinmakingadecision.

☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Ihelpmakesureeveryonegets

anopportunitytosaywhattheythink

☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

SectionVIII:Engagement

4. Pleaseindicatehowlikelyyouaretocompletethefollowingoutcomes.(Selectone

43

responseineachrowbymarkingtheappropriatebox☒.)

Asaresultofmyexperienceinthis4-HHHealthyLiving

program…Definitely Maybe

ProbablyNot

DefinitelyNot

Iwouldenjoyhostingsomeonefromanotherculture

☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

IcancontactsomeoneI’venever

metbeforetogettheirhelpwithaproblem

☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Iplantoworkonprojectsto

bettermycommunity☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Iamencouragedtovolunteermore

☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

AfterhighschoolIwillcontinuetoworktobettermycommunity

☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Iaminterestedinacareerthathelpsothers

☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Iaminterestedinworkingin

government(suchasschoolboard,Directorofparksandrec,legislator,legislativeaide,intern)

☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

SectionIX:TellusaboutYouPleaseselecttheresponsesthatbestdescribesyou.

11. Howoldareyou?

______Age(inyears)

Pleaseselecttheresponsesthatbestdescribesyou.12. Whatgradeareyouin?

______Grade

13. Whichofthefollowingbestdescribesyourgender?(Markonebox☒.) ☐ Female ☐ Male

14. Whichofthefollowingbestdescribeyourrace?(Markeachbox☒thatappliestoyou.) ☐ AmericanIndianorAlaskanNative ☐ Asian

44

☐ BlackorAfricanAmerican ☐ NativeHawaiianorOtherPacificIslander ☐ White15. Whichofthefollowingbestdescribeyourethnicity?(Markonebox☒.) ☐ HispanicorLatino ☐ NotHispanicorLatino

16. Whichofthefollowingbestdescribestheprimaryplacewhereyoulive?(Markonebox☒.) ☐ Farm ☐ Rural(non-farmresidence,pop.<10,000) ☐ TownorCity(pop.10,000–50,000) ☐ SuburbofaCity(pop.>50,000) ☐ City(pop.>50,000)

THANKYOU!

AppendixC–StateSummaryInformation

State summary information was sent to Ms. JoAnne Leatherman on May 26, 2014. Due to large file sizes, these summaries were not included in this document. Summary information included frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations on all items for both the 4-7th grade and 8th -12th grade instruments.

45

Data Analysis Team

The data analysis team was composed of Dr. Joseph L. Donaldson, Extension Specialist, and Mr. Mitch Naylor, Student Staff Assistant, University of Tennessee Department of Extension Evaluation and Staff Development. Dr. Donaldson is an accomplished program evaluator, teacher and researcher. Dr. Donaldson is an Extension Specialist for the University of Tennessee Extension. He is the primary author of the Program Evaluation Network, online software used by 700 Extension employees at the four universities. He teaches the UT College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources graduate course in program planning and evaluation, an online course with 25 graduate students. He has developed numerous staff development courses for Extension employees on needs assessment, program planning, evaluation and accountability topics. His online Extension courses have had enrollments of 800 employees at one time. He has published his research in the Qualitative Report and the Journal of Extension, among others. Donaldson has served as principal investigator for numerous projects including the National 4-H Healthy Living Professional and Volunteer Development Needs Assessment: A Delphi Approach (Donaldson, et. al, 2013). He is an active member of the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents, and he received the organization’s Air Force Recruiting Salute Award in 2012. As an Extension 4-H Agent, he provided healthy living programs for 2,000 youth enrolled in 80 4-H clubs in Giles County, Tennessee. Mr. Naylor is a junior at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, majoring in Business Analytics in the College of Business Administration. He is a native of Finger, Tennessee, and a graduate of Chester County High School.

Contact Information Joseph L. Donaldson, Ph.D. Extension Specialist The University of Tennessee Extension Department of Extension Evaluation and Staff Development 2621 Morgan Circle 212-D Morgan Hall Knoxville, TN 37996-4525 Phone: 865-974-7245 Fax: 865-974-0882 Email: [email protected]

Documents

NATIONAL 4-H HEALTHY LIVING: SUMMARY OF UNITED HEALTHCARE