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Delivering relevant, research-based nutrition and food safety education that has a positive impact on the health and well-being of all citizens is one of four program goals included in the 2008 to 2013 UTTC Land Grant Strategic Plan. A major objective is to develop, deliver, and evaluate culturally sensitive food safety and nutrition education training curriculums designed for Tribal citizens, communities, agencies, and businesses. This special emphasis project is to enhance the UTTC Land Grant nutrition education program to deliver activity-based, relevant, research-based, culturally sensitive nutrition, obesity and diabetes education resources and training curriculums for the Tribal programs partnered with the UTTC USDA Land Grant Extension Program.
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<OL> <LI> Develop activity based program materials that will include a healthy cooking curriculum for students, ages 8 to 12. Where the students make healthy food choices, learn how to safely prepare the chosen food and sample a wide variety of foods during their after school cooking classes. <LI>Develop an adult activity based program with weekly or bi-weekly cooking classes that include healthy food choices and food preparation methods. <LI> Plan and host a minimum of four nutrition training institutes for Tribal nutrition providers such as nutrition for the elderly programs, diabetes programs, food distribution programs, head-start programs, detention center foodservice staff, Indian Health Services (IHS) dietary departments, WIC, casino foodservice staff, community college foodservice staff, etc.
NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Enhancing obesity and diabetes education programs on the United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) campus will provide activity based culturally sensitive program materials for the Tribal programs partnered with the UTTC USDA Land Grant Extension Program. Delivering relevant, research-based nutrition and food safety education that has a positive impact on the health and well-being of all citizens is a program goal. Activity based program materials to be developed include an elementary school focused healthy cooking curriculum. Weekly hands-on classes provide the youth friendly environment for testing and evaluating procedures and topics to be included. The program materials will be available in PDF format for cost-effective distribution to youth serving organizations based in tribal communities. An adult activity based program with weekly or bi-weekly cooking classes in the Nutrition and Foodservice teaching kitchen will include healthy food choices and food preparation methods. Individual lesson plans, including health and nutrition resources, and recipes will be distributed in PDF format. The culturally distinct materials will be shared with Tribal based food distribution programs, Indian Health Service diabetes programs, WIC offices, Headstart parent programs and Extension educators.UTTC's Land Grant Programs have experience in providing community education emphasizing Type 2 diabetes, healthful food preparation, childhood obesity and foodsafety. Programs are culturally relevant and based on the four directions of wellness, which are necessary if health and improved quality of life for Native people is to be achieved.
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APPROACH: Food, nutrition and health programs will be developed and delivered by the Land Grant program staff. One evening each week will be designated for campus community food and nutrition hands-on classes. Currently an Afterschool Cooking program for elementary students is taught by Land Grant staff, college students and the North Dakota State University Extension Family Nutrition Program. In addition to the Afterschool Cooking program a bi-weekly adult healthy cooking class will be developed and taught. A consistent, regularly taught healthy cooking class would attract adult students living on-campus or the surrounding community and UTTC staff coping with increasing health problems related to obesity and diabetes. Healthy food choices and cooking methods partnered with the physical activities encouraged by the Strengthening Lifestyles Department will result in improved health for the participants and their families. Foodservice food safety training will be refocused to nutrition, obesity and diabetes with food safety as a component of each lesson. Formal review and evaluation of educational materials and methods will involve Extension and academic experts, advisory board and cultural committee members. A retrospective evaluation tool is being developed for programs and lessons.