Choose Health: Food, Fun, and Fitness

CHFFF targets elementary and middle-school aged children in schools and other sites including after-school and summer programs. CHFFF was developed collaboratively with SNAP-Ed and Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) professionals, and piloted by nine SNAP-ED/EFNEP counties in New York piloted the intervention in 2010. The original curriculum was completed in 2011, a major update was done in 2015, and a new virtual version was created in 2020 and revised version was released in 2022. CHFFF is used in all 50 states and three territories, primarily in SNAP-Ed, EFNEP and/or 4H programs. Settings:  Schools  Age/Population Group: Elementary School, Middle School Race: All Ethnicity: All

CHFFF includes six usually-weekly lessons. Based on the Social Cognitive Theory, each 45-90 minute lesson includes offering hands-on nutrition and problem solving activities, preparing or tasting healthy snacks, playing active games, and setting weekly goals. Lessons are scripted in simple language to make them easy to teach and are structured based on the 4 As dialogue approach to ensure youth interaction and engagement: Anchor to past experience, Add new information, Apply by doing, and a goal-setting Away. Activities include comparing Nutrition Facts Labels on food packages, visualizing the amount of sugar in drinks and fat in fast foods, and using photos of real food to create meals for a day with recommended cups of vegetables and fruits.

All CHFFF materials, including the virtual version and its training videos , are available here (see links at left to navigate). A revised 2022 version with u pdated food package labels with the new Nutrition Facts Label and various updated visuals is now available for users to print. Instructions for printing the complete new version or for updating current copies are provided Curriculum (both print and virtual): 6 lessons Teaching Kit (print version): 22 posters Numerous visuals including 61 food package labels and 28 fast food cards Seven 2-page family newsletters One 2-page worksheets 12 game instruction cards 14 recipes 2-day Group and Individual Training Guides Fidelity and Progress Notes Form How CHFFF Meets National Health Education Standards Document Training clips of virtual version for learning lesson content Instructional Videos for CHFFF Games

In 2015, CHFFF was evaluated using a quasi-experimental (delayed intervention control group) study in NY EFNEP. After receiving CHFFF, youth significantly improved their dietary scores including overall quality (p<.001), vegetable intake (p<.001), fruit intake (p<.01), soda/fast food intake (p<.05), and intent to consume soda/fast food (p<.001). Youth also increased the frequency with which they read Nutrition Facts labels (p<.001) and shared about healthy eating with their family (p<.001), and were more likely to have tried a new food (p<.001) ( Wolfe and Dollahite, 2021 ). Additionally, CHFFF conducted a community-based evaluation between 2013 and 2015 in which paired t-tests showed significant (p<.01) positive changes before to after CHFFF education for consumption of vegetables, fruits, sweetened drinks, nutrition label reading, and other food and activity behaviors. These results can be found here . Evidence Base: Research-tested

Based on the SNAP-Ed Evaluation Framework, the following outcome indicators can be used to evaluate intervention progress and success.   Readiness and Capacity - Short Term (ST) Changes - Medium Term (MT) Effectiveness and Maintenance - Long Term (LT) Population Results (R) Individual   MT1 ,  MT2 ,  MT3     Environmental Settings       Sectors of Influence       MT1h. Drinking fewer sugar-sweetened beverages (e.g., regular soda or sports drinks) MT2b. Read nutrition facts labels or nutrition ingredients lists MT3a. Physical activity and leisure sport (general physical activity or leisure sport)

CHFFF provides a Fidelity and Progress Notes Form for monitoring how the lessons are taught and uses the national EFNEP 3 rd - 5 th and 6 th -8 th pre-post surveys for evaluation.

Kansas Kids are More Active with Physical Activity Bundles: https://snaped.fns.usda.gov/library/success-stories/kansas-kids-are-more-active-physical-activity-bundles

Website: The CHFFF website includes an overview of existing evidence, training resources, supplemental curricular materials, and teaching resources. Contact Person: Annette O-Hara, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University 607-255-0049 FNEC-admin@cornell.edu     *Updated as of August 8, 2023