Project Overview EAT.RIGHT.NOW. (ERN) is a nutrition education outreach program, available to eligible students enrolled in The School District of Philadelphia (SDP). ERN is funded by the Pennsylvania (PA) Department of Public Welfare through PA Nutrition Education Tracks, a part of U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). During the and school years, pre- and post-surveys were administered by SDP’s Office of Research and Evaluation (ORE) to eighth grade students in order to assess the impact of the Choice, Control, & Change (C3) curriculum. This research study seeks to explore how these students’ nutrition and physical activity knowledge and self- reported behaviors at post-survey differentially predict their academic achievement, academic behavior, and body mass index (BMI) using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Contributors/Stakeholders Implementation/Activities SEM is a comprehensive statistical approach that allows us to examine simultaneous, as well as direct and indirect, relationships among variables to test a conceptual model. Figures 1 and 2 below illustrate two competing conceptual models which were developed by ORE based on existing lines of research and theory. Using this approach, the following research questions will be addressed: Student-Level Outcomes Preliminary demographic data shows that of 793 participants, 396 received the C3 curriculum while 397 were in control classrooms. There is an even distribution of males (n=399) and females (n=394). Participants range in age from twelve to sixteen, though most are either 13 (n=250) or 14 (n=416). The majority of participants (58%, n=457), identify as Black/African American, while 24% (n=190) identify as Hispanic/Latino, 11% (n=83) as White, 5% (n=43) as Asian, 2% (n=19) as multi-racial, and less than 1% (n=1) as American Indian/Alaska Native. Of participants, 62% (n=489) fully qualify for the free lunch program. Additional demographic data indicates that 9% (n=68) of participants are Limited English Proficient and 11% (n=90) have a disability. SNAP-Ed EAT.RIGHT.NOW. Nutrition Education Program: Testing Causal Relationships Among Knowledge, Behavior, and Body Mass Index Graphic2 (optional) Contact Information Kaitlin Moran, Ph.D., M.S.Ed. – Research Specialist SDP Office of Research and Evaluation (p): (e): EAT.RIGHT.NOW. Evaluation Team Alex List, Ph.D., M.A.; Kaitlin Moran, Ph.D., M.S.Ed.; Danielle Raucheisen, B.S.; Kelsey Weir, B.A. Note: Curved, bidirectional lines signify correlation paths; straight directional lines signify linear regression paths leading from one predictor to an outcome. Ellipses represent latent constructs; squares represent measurable variables. Figure 1. SEM Conceptual ModelFigure 2. SEM Competing Conceptual Model OR ▪ What is the relationship between nutrition and physical activity knowledge and behaviors? ▪ What is the relationship among student academic achievement (e.g. PSSA scores), academic behavior (e.g. average daily attendance), and BMI? ▪ To what extent do nutrition and physical activity knowledge and behaviors predict student academic achievement, academic behavior, and BMI? ▪ How well do the conceptual models of relationships among predictors and outcomes fit the data? Does BMI act as an outcome or a mediator? ▪ USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) ▪ PA Department of Public Welfare ▪ PA Nutrition Education TRACKS ▪ Management Entity: Pennsylvania State University ▪ ERN Community Partners: Drexel, Einstein, The Food Trust, Health Promotion Council, Urban Nutrition Initiative ▪ ERN Program Director, Manager, and Coordinators ▪ ERN Nutrition Educators ▪ SDP’s Office of Research and Evaluation staff ▪ SDP staff: principals, teachers, etc. ▪ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligible adults and students in SDP