Evaluation of an Urban Farm-to-Preschool and Families Program.

Abstract

Over the past 30 years, the rate of childhood obesity has risen dramatically. Despite recent declines in prevalence among preschool-aged children, child obesity is still a significant public health concern. Healthy People 2020 objectives include increasing fruit and vegetable consumption among children over 2 years of age and increasing the number of schools that offer access to fresh fruits and vegetables. To reach these objectives, farm-to-school programs are being implemented across the United States. The purpose of this evaluation was to: (a) identify factors that facilitate adoption of the Farm-to-Preschool and Families program in Springfield, MA, specifically; and (b) provide recommendations and guidelines for successful implementation of Farm-to-Preschool and Families programs generally. Using a combination of classroom observations of preschoolers, teacher and food service interviews, and administrator surveys, the findings suggest that having a strong programmatic infrastructure, administrative support, and external support from families is important to sustain a Farm-to-Preschool and Families program.