School-based nutrition and garden programs and parental dietary changes in low-income settings: a review

Income is a direct indicator of dietary health and access to food. Proper nutrition is a critical component to achieving good health. However, many children and their families do not consume the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables. This can lead to many health disparities and contribute to the development of chronic disease. Children between the ages of 5 and 18 spend an average of 6 h a day, 180 days a year in school, which provides an opportunity for public health workers, nutritionists, and teachers to assist low-income families with nutritional education and provide access to fruits and vegetables. In-school programs have been proven to positively impact dietary choices in children, but it is unclear how such programs may impact their parents. This review examines literature on school-based nutrition and garden programs and their direct impact on the dietary practices and choices of low-income parents. The review process was conducted through an Internet search for relevant peer-reviewed journal articles on databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, and Medline. Grey literature was not included. Approximately 167 studies were generated from the literature search. After removing duplicates and those that did not meet the inclusion criteria we analysed 17 articles. Analysis of these articles provided few assessments of direct or indirect impact of nutrition and garden programs on low-income parental dietary outcomes or choices. It was discovered that passive communications and direct participation are most often used to foster parent involvement.