School-based kitchen garden programs may positively influence individual, social and physical environmental factors contributing to obesity

The benefits of school-based kitchen garden programs are well-documented in the literature. There has been little research, however, on how people in low-income, minority communities perceive such programs. Understanding how school-based kitchen garden programs are perceived by stakeholder groups can be important for program sustainability and effectiveness. This study examined student, parent, and teacher perceptions of a school-based kitchen program in New Orleans.

Socioeconomic disparities in access to healthy food in New Orleans are significant, resulting in a low fruit and vegetable (FV) diet for many low-income children and their families. As many as half of the high schoolers in New Orleans consume less than one serving of fruit and vegetables (FV) per day. Their diets tend to be high in energy-dense foods, which are associated with increased risk of being overweight or obese. Not surprisingly, overweight/obesity rates are exceptionally high in New Orleans, especially in low-income, African American communities. Edible Schoolyard New Orleans (ESYNOLA) works with schools in these communities to improve the children's dietary behaviors. Their work includes developing and maintaining school-based kitchen gardens, conducting garden-based classes, and organizing food-related community events. Students participate in the growing, harvesting, and cooking of food.

Researchers conducted a total of 10 semi-structured interviews with students, teachers, and parents across four schools participating in ESYNOLA. Interview questions focused on how these different stakeholder groups perceived the program, what program attributes they valued most highly, and what they perceived as the program's impact on students. Topics discussed included curriculum and school-based interventions, diet, home and school food environments, and the transfer of knowledge from school to home. Twenty-seven students, seventeen parents, and seventeen teachers participated in the interviews, with each group participating in separate focus groups.

Data analysis revealed four primary outcome-related themes: (1) developing life skills related to growing, harvesting, and cooking food; (2) understanding sources of food, links between diet and health, and the importance of making healthy food choices; (3) linking family, school, and community; and (4) teaching and learning through an experiential and participatory approach. These results highlight the potential positive impact of school-based kitchen garden programs on individual, physical and social factors that contribute to overweight/obesity in low-income, African American communities. The study also highlights ways in which environmental and individual factors can interact to affect children's FV consumption.

Attention to the themes emerging from this study may help strengthen the sustainability and potential impact of school-based kitchen garden programs in other communities.