Veggies instead of Cheetos

March 7, 2008 7:13 AM

Childhood obesity prevention programs that incorporate (or center around) community vegetable gardens. Know any?

I work in an adolescent health clinic in Raleigh, NC. Most of our patients are overweight or obese as well as low-income, and we're looking into funding to address the obesity.

I'm a big fan of gardening, and the idea of somehow creating a health education/youth development/health intervention program using a (likely urban) community garden as a tool to address the childhood/youth obesity issue sounds fantastic to me. I can see all sorts of benefits: self-esteem boosting, increasing healthy food consumption, financial literacy, physical activity, keeping kids away from TV/Internet/risky activities, etc.

However, I'm having a hard time finding programs that have been evaluated as effective in meeting certain objectives (whether those be weight reduction/management, increase in physical fitness, or whatever). I don't want to recreate any wheels, so I'd like to emulate another program that's already been implemented.

There IS one program locally that I'm working with, but if any of you either know of programs in your area (wherever that may be...not limited to the US) or can help me find research about this type of program, I'd be greatly appreciative!!

posted by Stewriffic to Health & Fitness (4 answers total)

Here's a link to the program run by Alice Waters out in Berkeley. She's gotten a lot of publicity, but I don't know how much evidence-based support she has. But it's worth checking out. Here's the homepage to the edible schoolyard program. Especially check out the second link to the program itself--there's a page of links to different funding sources for programs.
posted by jujube at 8:12 AM on March 7, 2008

There is also one in Chicago, but I'm having trouble finding it. I saw it on a WTTW (local PBS station) "filler" program, but searching the WTTW site and the "Network Chicago" site not turning it up. I remember that they also have bee hives. Anyone?
posted by nax at 8:47 AM on March 7, 2008

Stephanie Alexander has done some terrific things with schools in Australia. Good luck with a great idea.
posted by firstdrop at 10:43 AM on March 7, 2008

Hampstead Hill Academy, a public K-8 charter school in Baltimore, has a program called Food for Life that includes an urban schoolyard garden. It's based on the Food is Elementary curriculum developed by the Food Studies Institute. It appears that the FSI has some research data available. Ariel Demas is the teacher at Hampstead Hill; she's very enthusiastic about her program and I'm sure she'd be happy to help you out.
posted by weebil at 12:42 PM on March 7, 2008