Strengthening Nutrition Education and Behavior Research for Academicians and Practitioners.

Nutrition education and behavior research is essential for translating scientific nutrition-related evidence into actionable strategies at the individual, family, community, and policy levels. To enhance the impact of nutrition educators and researchers' efforts, there is a need for continued and directed support to sustain the rigor of research. It is the perspective of this paper that the field of nutrition education and behavior research address its inherent complexities to meet the diverse investigative strategies used by academicians as well as practitioners. Such strategies could ensure the role of nutrition education and behavior in ongoing nationwide efforts to address emerging and novel nutrition research.

Farm to Early Care and Education Programming: A Descriptive Study of Challenges and Opportunities to Promote Healthful Foods to Young Children.

Interest in farm to early care and education (ECE) programming, which consists of gardening, nutrition education, and local food procurement, has been growing in the United States, as it may be a promising technique for promoting healthful foods to young children. However, there is limited information about current farm to ECE efforts in specific states, including Colorado, to support funding and resource needs. An online survey was distributed to licensed Colorado ECE providers in two phases to understand current participation in the farm to ECE as well as provider perspectives on benefits and barriers to programming. A total of 250 surveys were completed. Approximately 60% of ECE facilities participated in gardening and nutrition education with providers almost unanimously agreeing on the child-centric benefits of programming. Fewer facilities (37%) participated in local food procurement likely due to significant time, cost, and knowledge barriers. To increase participation in farm to ECE as a technique for promoting healthful foods to young children, future efforts should focus on innovative solutions to reduce ECE-specific barriers.

Beyond Nutrient Intake: Use of Digital Food Photography Methodology to Examine Family Dinnertime.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility of using an image-based food photography methodology (Remote Food Photography Method) in a rural, low-resource audience and use the photos to examine the context of family dinner. DESIGN: Parents used the SmartIntake app on study-issued tablets to take before and after photos of their and their child's dinner for about 7 nights and participated in a mini-focus group to discuss their experience with the Remote Food Photography Method. SETTING: Six Head Start/preschool centers in rural Colorado. PARTICIPANTS: Mother-child dyads (n = 31). VARIABLES MEASURED: Number and quality of photos received, participant feedback, meal timing, concordance, location, preparation, and quality. ANALYSIS: The researchers assessed feasibility via practicality (percent photos received) and acceptability (general inductive approach used to analyze mini-focus group transcripts for participant feedback); time stamps, meal quality, and food preparation scales were used to analyze dinner photos. RESULTS: The majority of photographs (738 of 864) were received. Participants reacted favorably to the methodology; for some, it led to greater self-reflection about mealtime. Mother-child dyads usually ate dinner at the same time and often ate the same food. Children were frequently served protein and refined grains and were rarely served whole grains or fruit. Many families relied on convenience foods. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Digital food photography was feasible in this audience. Photos yielded a holistic picture of family dinnertime: meal timing, location, concordance in parent-child meals, level of preparation, and meal quality.

HEROs: Design of a Mixed-Methods Formative Research Phase for an Ecocultural Intervention to Promote Healthy Eating and Activity Behaviors in Rural Families With Preschoolers.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the mixed-methods formative research phase in the development of the Healthy Environments Study (HEROs), a technology-based, interactive family intervention to promote healthy eating and activity behaviors for young children in the home environment. DESIGN: A mixed-method iterative approach, using ecocultural theory as a framework, will guide the development of both quantitative and qualitative formative research assessments. SETTING: Rural eastern Colorado. PARTICIPANTS: Low-income families (n = 200) with preschool-aged children enrolled at 6 Head Start/preschool centers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Quantitative and qualitative methodologies will garner insights into 4 key topic areas: (1) food behaviors and environments (Remote Food Photography Method, parent focus group, and survey), (2) physical activity behaviors and environments (parent interview and survey), (3) mobile device use (parent survey and interview), and (4) daily life (ecocultural family interview and teacher/staff group discussions). ANALYSIS: Results will be interpreted in combination to allow for a holistic understanding of participant behaviors, beliefs, attitudes and values related to each of the 4 topic areas. Collectively, outcomes will provide a comprehensive picture of preschoolers' daily life and inform intervention design and strategies to enhance preschoolers' eating and activity behaviors in the home environment.