2. Regional Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Centers of Excellence – National Coordination Center
Janet S. Kurzynske, Professor & Extension Specialist
University of Kentucky
Associate Director & co-PI, RNECE – NCC
rnece-ncc.org
March 16, 2016

4. This work is supported by the U. S
This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the USDA.

5. RNECE Initiative Program Implementation Research
NCC and Four Regional Centers began work October 1, 2014
Year 1 – established communications, working network, and evaluation framework; coordination among Centers with significant progress by four Regional Centers
Year 2 - PSE Change Center and Longitudinal Research Project began work October 1, 2015

6. RNECE Initiative Objectives
Strengthen the evidence-base on effective nutrition education and obesity prevention programs for diverse population groups;
Evaluate the long-term effectiveness of nutrition education and obesity prevention interventions for disadvantaged and underserved populations and opportunities for new research;
Identify and create research collaborations and synergistic relationships among researchers and EFNEP/SNAP-Ed program directors, universities and other implementers, and state and federal agencies; and
Enhance the impact of state and community nutrition education and obesity prevention efforts by providing the public health-related training and evidence that practitioners need for improving nutrition and health behaviors, environments, and policies in ways that are equitable, efficient, and sustained over time.

7. National Coordination Center Leadership Team
Ann Vail, Project Director
Janet Kurzynske, Associate Director
Dawn Brewer, Communications
Janet Mullins, Evaluation
RNECE NCC Web Site:

8. National Coordination Center
Coordinate across the Centers
Evaluate progress toward four objectives
Aggregate and translate results
Disseminate findings
Communicate about resources

9. RNECE Working Groups Communications Evaluation
National Training Program
Affiliates Program (Implementers and Researchers)
Comprehensive Toolkit (Direct Education and PSE)

10. North Central Regional Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Center of Excellence
Jo Britt-Rankin, Associate Dean & Extension Professor
Co-PI, RNECE – North Central
University of Missouri
March 16, 2016

11. Priorities for research:
Address the policy, systems and/or environmental aspects of the rural communities of the North Central region
Address the specific needs of immigrant, minority and/or other at-risk populations in this region
Strengthen the evidence base on effective nutrition-education/obesity- prevention programs for diverse groups, notably SNAP-Ed and EFNEP

12. Considering a third round of funding in Spring 2016
Funded research
University of Missouri. Eat Smart in Parks. Youth Mapping and PhotoVoice to Inform Healthy Food Environments (Rd 1)
University of Illinois. Evaluating a Multi-Modal Community Nutrition Education Model within SNAP-Ed and EFNEP (R1 & 2)
Ohio State University. Summer Weight and Environmental Assessment Trial (SWEAT) (Rd 2)
Purdue University. A Longitudinal Randomized and Controlled Evaluation of the Integrated Impact of SNAP-Ed on Food Security and Obesity Prevention in Rural and Urban Counties (Rd 2)
Michigan State University. Influence of PSA on Dietary Quality at Diverse Low Income Child Care Settings (Rd 2)
Considering a third round of funding in Spring 2016

13. Affiliate Members 30 to date from all 12 NC States
Researchers and implementers
Two webcasts to date
Networking research
Research opportunities

14. Northeast Regional Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Center of Excellence
Joan Paddock, EFNEP Coordinator, Cornell University
Mira Mehta, EFNEP Leader, University of Maryland
March 16, 2016

15. Signature Research Program
Research Question
Does the combination of direct nutrition education and PSE changes have greater impact on dietary intake and physical activity than either strategy alone?
Overview of Projects
5 projects, variation in race, ethnicity, and cultural contexts, target audience, and methods of delivery
2 implemented in SNAP-Ed, 3 in EFNEP
3 urban, 1 suburban, 1 rural in 2 sites with micropolitan areas
3 RCTs; 2 quasi-experimental designs
Research projects selected through a competitive subaward solicitation and by Center leadership from Cornell Cooperative Extension programs
Comprise the Center’s Signature Research Program
Projects incorporate multi-level approaches (e.g. direct education plus environmental change to make healthy choices easier)
Designs:
NY EFNEP: quasi-experimental design comparing PSE only to PSE plus direct education in organizational settings
RI: group randomized trial with 5th graders comparing direct education only to direct education plus PSE education and activities
CT: randomized controlled trial comparing direct education and text messages about and coupons for Mobile Market to direct education and text messages about unrelated community events/activities
Johns Hopkins: group randomized design comparing direct education combined with PSE work, with control (delayed intervention)
MD: quasi-experimental design comparing direct education only to direct education plus PSE (physical activity as a vital sign including physician conversation and provision of list of free opportunities for physical activity

16. Transforming Lifestyles: Integrating Direct Nutrition Education with Physical Activity Using the Health Care System Expansion Model
University of Maryland EFNEP
Effectiveness of engaging primary health care providers in assessing children’s physical activity levels and providing information and referrals to physical activity resources and EFNEP.
Direct-Ed Eating Smart Being Active and Cooking Matters for Kids
PSE Systems change in health clinic

17. Regional Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Center of Excellence Policies, Systems, and Environmental Change Center
Karen Franck, Co-Director, University of Tennessee
Jacqueline White, Co-PI, EFNEP Coordinator, Prairie View
March 16, 2016

18. Rationale: SNAP-Ed and EFNEP networks critically need a pedagogically sound competency-based training system, an organized collection of resources and access to broad network of technical assistance to support effective PSE implementation based upon a continuum of readiness levels.

19. Objectives
Objective 1: Enhance the ability of SNAP-Ed and EFNEP networks to effectively implement and evaluate obesity prevention PSE strategies for low-income populations throughout the lifespan
Objective 2: Strengthen SNAP-Ed and EFNEP nutrition education interventions through incorporation of effective culturally-responsive public health approaches that are centered on readiness to change best practices

20. How Are PSEs Working in EFNEP?
Discussion about the role of PSEs in EFNEP
Collect input and feedback about PSEs in your state
Technical assistance needs

21. Southern Regional Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Center of Excellence
Lorelei Jones, M.Ed.
RNECE-South Co-Director
EFNEP Coordinator, North Carolina State University
March 16, 2016

22. RNECE-South Research Projects
Research Goal: To expand the evidence of strategies for direct education and PSE affecting EFNEP and SNAP-Ed audiences and program impacts.
Projects
Signature Award Program: Faithful Families
University of Arkansas
University of Florida
University of Tennessee
Innovative Award Program
University of Georgia
Rural Healthy Stores Project
Social Media Engagement Project
Rural Healthy Stores Project: RNECE-South seeks to expand the settings of the Baltimore Healthy Stores (BHS) intervention to low-income, rural neighborhoods in the Southern United States and evaluate its impact at the store, storeowner, and consumer levels. In Year 1, the RNECE-South will pilot the intervention in three counties (8 intervention stores & 8 control stores) in North Carolina. In Year 2, sub-awards will be awarded to implement and test the Rural-BHS across the RNECE-South Region.
Social Media Engagement Project: RNECE-South has examined existing communications used in North Carolina EFNEP social media programs to identify characteristics of EFNEP social media communications that result in the greatest interest and engagement with participants. Results from this analysis and materials from the guidelines document will be used to develop and test resource materials to aide implementation of a social media strategy that supports EFNEP and SNAP-Ed goals. The social media resource materials will also be used by our three RNECE-South Signature Sub-Awardees.
Signature Program Sub-Awards: The purpose of the Signature Sub-Awards are to strengthen the evidence base for Faithful Families Eating Smart and Moving More (FFESMM) – a practice-tested intervention that promotes healthy eating habits and increased physical activity through a series of group nutrition/physical activity education sessions and health-promoting policy, systems and environmental (PSE) changes within faith-based communities.
Innovation Sub-Award: The purpose of the Innovation Sub-Award is to support the evaluation of new and/or innovative strategies and interventions that provide direct nutrition education to low-income participants in conjunction with a policy, system, and environmental change (PSE) component that facilitates and promotes successful behavior change across the program’s participants.
The University of Georgia Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (UGA SNAP-Ed) program has been developing Food eTalk, online nutrition education program tailored to the cultural diversity and unique food preferences of traditional Southern food among SNAP-Ed eligible adult Georgians. This Innovation Sub-Award research project will provide comprehensive and thorough formative evaluation, of user perceptions, experiences, and related PSE contexts and changes of an innovative, culturally tailored, eLearning online nutrition education program in order to most effectively serve the Georgian SNAP-Ed eligible population.

23. Faithful Families Program
Direct Education
PSE Changes
Behavior Change
The University of Arkansas is assessing the impact of the FFESMM intervention on diet and physical activity among program participants with and without social media support. This work will determine the effectiveness of PSE initiatives in faith-based communities, specifically among low-income families with children.
The University of Florida is assessing the feasibility of implementing the FFESMM intervention by EFNEP paraprofessionals with supporting SNAP-Ed PSE changes. This project includes an online, interactive dashboard and explores whether this addition increases the adoption of healthy eating and physical activity behaviors.
The University of Tennessee is implementing the FFESMM to expand EFNEP and SNAP-Ed reach with faith communities, explore use of social media as a method for participant recruitment and retention and increase the adoption of effective PSE interventions.
The University of Arkansas (Lisa Washburn DrPH, Principle Investigator)
The University of Florida (Karla Shulnutt PhD RD, Principle Investigator)
The University of Tennessee (Karen Franck PhD, Principle Investigator)

24. Western Region Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Center of Excellence
Susan Baker, Associate Professor, EFNEP, & Director RNECE – West
Colorado State University
Karen Barale, Associate Professor, State EFNEP Leader, co-Director RNECE - West
Washington State University
March 16, 2016

25. RNECE-West Research
Direct Education
Long-term Evaluation
Behavior Checklist
PSE
Environmental Support Activities
Food Pantry E-Scans
YPAR
Sub-Awards
Utah: Food Purchase Evaluation
Alaska: Sugar Sweetened Beverage Analysis
The RNECE-West focuses on increasing the evidence base of direct education and environmental changesthrough research conducted by the Center and by sub-awardees and contractors, emphasizing Hispanic audiences.
In addition, the new Signature Research Project lead by Carrie Durward at Utah State University is in this Region and works through the Center.

26. Research
Long-term evaluation of adult EFNEP participants (6 and 12 months after graduation)
Evaluation of changes in grocery store food purchases by adult EFNEP graduates
Today the Western Center will provide an overview of two projects:
The first is the Long-term evaluation of EFNEP participants. The goal of this work is to improve the evidence-base of direct nutrition education with adults by collecting objective outcome data such as BMI, blood pressure and blood glucose. This work will help inform future longitudinal studies and cost-benefit analyses.
The second is the new RNECE signature research project from by Utah State University. Researchers are examining the effect of an adult class series on the purchase of fruit, vegetable, whole grain, and dairy foods as well as total grocery expenditure in Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado and Tennessee. They are testing the feasibility of a novel technology called QualMart to detect changes in grocery purchases based on loyalty card data.

27. Round Table Discussions
1 = North Central – Affiliate Program, Researchers & Implementers
2 = North East - Integrating Direct Nutrition Education with Physical Activity Using the Health Care System Expansion Model
3 = PSE – PSE and EFNEP roles, feedback, and needs
4 = Southern – Faithful Families Program
5 = Western – long term evaluation of EFNEP participants & grocery store food purchases