Date of Award

Summer 8-18-2017

Level of Access Assigned by Author

Open-Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Food Science and Human Nutrition

Advisor

Adrienne White

Second Committee Member

Susan Sullivan

Third Committee Member

Angela Myracle

Additional Committee Members

Kate Yerxa

Abstract

The iCook 4-H Dissemination Study, conducted in five states, was a control-treatment design to test whether a newly developed program for obesity prevention for youth could be successfully implemented by community leaders with minimal researcher involvement. Community leaders were primarily Cooperative Extension educators. A dyad model was used for youth (control=9.6±0.9 years of age; treatment=9.9±0.6 years of age) and their adult main food preparers (control=38.8±5.7 years of age; treatment=39.4±7.8 years of age). A three-pronged approach to evaluation developed previously for the program was used to measure outcomes, process, and fidelity of the program. The control group, youth (n=63) and adults (n=71), and treatment group youth (n=76) and adults (n=75) completed pre- and post-program surveys. Treatment dyads completed the intervention, eight bi-weekly sessions on program focal areas of cooking, eating, and playing together. Treatment youth significantly increased outcome subscales of cooking skills (P

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