Kids’ Cooking Camps Promote Healthy Lifestyles Among Native American Youth Kelly 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 2 nd and 6 th 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 practices 2) Increase knowledge and incidence of safe food handling 3) Increase knowledge and incidence of healthy, cultural traditions Audience: Native American children between 2 nd and 6 th 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 QuestionPre Sample size # Post Sample Size # t-valueProbability Balancing a Plate * Eating on the Run * Preparing Snacks and Meals/ Label Reading Get Started Gardening * Food Preservation <0.0001* Eating Right While Eating Out * Traditional Food Systems/ Farm to Plate # 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 ≤ 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 impacts Results: 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: 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