Abstract:
Children and youth are at an impressionable age, and their eating habits and
nutritional health are influenced by a variety o f people in their immediate environment.
Children and youth learn by example and the eating habits they acquire early in life are
often carried into adulthood. Teachers are key role models for children and youth, and
through daily routines they are given the opportunity to model and communicate valuable
nutrition information. It is important to focus on Education students as they will become
role models for children and youth. It is crucial to raise awareness o f how their own
healthful habits can have long term benefits on the health o f children and youth.
This research project explores the association between the food related beliefs,
attitudes, knowledge, eating patterns and intended classroom food practices o f BEd
students. Each o f these factors can potentially affect the development o f healtli behaviors
o f children and youth. Teachers have the ability to play an important role to better the
students’ day-to-day lifestyle at school. However, since health courses for education
students are elective; many future teachers must rely on their previous knowledge and
values for this important issue, whatever their perception may be.
One hundred and three students (79% response rate) enrolled in both the
elementary and secondary BEd program at Mount Saint Vincent University completed a
self-administered questionnaire adapted from the TEENS Teaching Staff Survey.
Univariate statistics were used to describe the variables involved, while mixed model
analysis of variance was used to examine tlie association between the variables.
Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and Bronfenbrenner’s ecological
model provided a theoretical framework for understanding the influence of socialenvironmental factors on the development o f health behavior.
Study findings show that although 93% BEd students confirmed the importance
of a healthy school food environment, two-thirds intended to use unhealthy classroom
food practices (candy in particular), 65% reported high-fat or very high fat intakes and
most (72%) respondents had mid-to-low nutrition knowledge levels. Respondents who
demonstrated ‘less support for a healthy school environment’ were more likely to
promote unhealthy classroom food practices. As well respondents who had high fat
intakes and low perceived health were approximately 3 times as likely to use the
cafeteria, canteen or vending machines than those with low fat intakes and high perceived
health. Overall, results suggest that BEd students in this study recognize the importance
of a healthy environment; however, they report knowledge, attitudes and behaviors which
may act as barriers to their having a positive impact on student’s eating habits in their
future role as teachers.
It is important that school and health professionals continue to campaign for the
development and implementation of policies and programs that support teachers in
creating a healthy school environment. Research suggests that attention to the health
related needs o f teachers is required if significant and sustainable changes in the
comprehensive school food environment are to be achieved. It is also important that
teachers succeed as positive role models and contribute to normative practices that
support the development of healthy eating behaviors. Study findings reinforce the need to
have policies and programs that support teachers in establishing healthy classroom
practices and compulsory nutrition education training for BEd students.