All's Well That Eats Well

Principal Investigator
Cheryl L. Perry, PhD, University of Minnesota

Funding
National Theatre for Children
National Cancer Institute
Health Partners

Objective
This study evaluated the impact of a theatre production on changing food-related knowledge and food choices concerning fruits and vegetables among children in grades 1–6.

Methods
The study, involving 20 schools in the Twin Cities metropolitan area during Winter 2000, used a pretest–posttest design with two randomly-assigned, sequential intervention-control groups (n = 4093). The intervention consisted of a 45-minute play with classroom activities and take-home materials. All students were given surveys prior to and then following the theatre production and classroom and home activities.

Results
There were no differences between the groups at pretest. There were significant differences in food-related knowledge, food choices, and food recall from pretest to posttest for all students. There were significant differences between intervention groups in food-related knowledge and food choices.

Conclusions
The study indicated that professional theatre productions in schools can have at least a short-term effect on children’s nutrition knowledge and behavior.

Materials
Theater productions and classroom and family educational materials available from the National Theater for Children: http://www.nationaltheatre.com/

Publications
Perry CL, Zauner M, Oakes JM, et al. An evaluation of a theatre production on eating behavior of children. Journal of School Health. 2002;72(6):256-260.