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. 2019 Oct:85:105834.
doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2019.105834. Epub 2019 Aug 23.

Design and participant characteristics of TX sprouts: A school-based cluster randomized gardening, nutrition, and cooking intervention

JaimieN Davis  1 , Katie Nikah  2 , Fiona M Asigbee  2 , Matthew J Landry  2 , Sarvenaz Vandyousefi  2 , Reem Ghaddar  2 , Amy Hoover  2 , Matthew Jeans  2 , Stephen J Pont  3 , Daphne Richards  4 , Deanna M Hoelscher  5 , Alexandra E Van Den Berg  5 , Meagan Bluestein  6 , Adriana Pérez  6
Affiliations

Design and participant characteristics of TX sprouts: A school-based cluster randomized gardening, nutrition, and cooking intervention

JaimieN Davis et al. Contemp Clin Trials. 2019 Oct.

Erratum in

Abstract

Aims: To outline the study design, outcome measures, protocol and baseline characteristics of enrolled participants of Texas (TX) Sprouts, a one-year school-based gardening, nutrition, and cooking cluster randomized trial.

Methods: Eight schools were randomly assigned to the TX Sprouts intervention and eight schools to the delayed intervention over three years (2016-2019). The intervention arm received: formation/training of Garden Leadership Committees; a 0.25-acre outdoor teaching garden; 18 student lessons including gardening, nutrition, and cooking activities, taught weekly during school hours by hired educators throughout one school year; and nine parent lessons taught monthly to families. The delayed intervention was implemented the following academic year and received the same protocol as the intervention arm. Primary outcomes included: dietary intake, dietary-related behaviors, obesity, and metabolic parameters. Child measures included: height, weight, waist circumference, body composition, blood pressure, and dietary psychosocial variables. A subsample of children were measured for glucose, hemoglobin-A1C, and 24-hour dietary recalls. Parent measures included: height and weight, dietary intake, and related dietary psychosocial variables.

Results: Of the 4239 eligible students, 3137 students consented and provided baseline clinical measures; 3132 students completed child surveys, with 92% of their parents completing parent surveys. The subsamples of blood draws and dietary recalls were 34% and 24%, respectively. Intervention arm baseline descriptives, clinical and dietary data for children and parents are reported.

Conclusion: The TX Sprouts intervention targeted primarily low-income Hispanic children and their parents; utilized an interactive gardening, nutrition, and cooking program; and measured a battery of dietary behaviors, obesity and metabolic outcomes.

Keywords: Cooking intervention; Gardening; Hispanic; Low-income; Nutrition; Obesity; Overweight; School-based.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Layout of a TX Sprouts outdoor classroom.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
TX Sprouts Baseline Consort Diagram.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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