A alimentação orgânica e as ações educativas na escola: diagnóstico para a educação em saúde e nutrição / Organic food and educational actions in schools: diagnosis for health and nutrition education

A pesquisa envolveu um diagnóstico das ações educativas e alimentação orgânica do Projeto Sabor Saber (PSS) em uma escola estadual em Florianópolis, Brasil. A partir de uma abordagem qualitativa, utilizou a entrevista semi-estruturada, a análise documental e os grupos focais para a coleta de dados. Participaram da pesquisa: gerente da alimentação escolar, diretora, grupo de escolares e professores da escola. Os resultados evidenciaram que o PSS avançou em seus objetivos, aliando introdução de alimentos orgânicos a ações educativas em alimentação, saúde, nutrição e meio ambiente, mas sem avaliações sobre este processo. O alimento orgânico está presente na alimentação escolar; contudo, não há registro de ações de educação em saúde e nutrição. A alimentação é conteúdo na disciplina de Ciências; todavia, os temas alimentação, saúde e nutrição surgem sem planejamento prévio. A avaliação dos escolares sobre a alimentação é positiva; porém, os alimentos orgânicos não foram referidos. Concluiu-se que a utilização do alimento orgânico ainda não integra o projeto pedagógico desta escola; no entanto, os professores refletiram sobre a necessidade do desenvolvimento de ações de educação em saúde, alimentação orgânica e nutrição com a comunidade escolar.

This research involved a diagnosis of the educational actions and organic food of the Taste and Awareness Project (Projeto Sabor e Saber, PSS) in a state school in Florianopolis, Brazil. Based on a qualitative approach, a semi-structured interview, documentation analysis and focal groups were used for data collection. The participants were managers of School Meals; a school head and a group of students and teachers representing the school. The results indicated that the PSS has advanced in its objectives, combining the introduction of organic foods with educational actions involving food, health, nutrition and the environment but with no evaluations of this process; organic food is present in school meals, although there is no record of educational actions; food is a subject on the Science course; the themes of food, health and nutrition in the school environment come up without planning; the evaluation of students regarding the food is positive, but no reference was made to organic foods. It was concluded that the use of organic food, is still not an element of the pedagogical project. However, the research contributed to the teachers, on the need to develop educational actions in health, organic foods and nutrition, within the school community.

The Evaluation of Materials to Provide Health-Related Information as a Population Strategy in the Worksite: The High-Risk and Population Strategy for Occupational Health Promotion (HIPOP-OHP) Study

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of newly developed materials for providing health-related information to the worksite population, we compared the amount of attention that employees paid to the materials. Methods: Study subjects were 2,361 employees in six companies participating in an intervention program between 2002 and 2003. Three kinds of media were used as tools for providing health information: [1] Point Of Purchase advertising menus (POP menus) were placed on all tables in company restaurants, [2] posters were put on walls and [3] leaflets were distributed at health-related events. One year or more after the introduction of these media, we compared the amount of attention paid to each type of medium. Results: Amongst the three types of media, the POP menu drew the most attention, although results were not consistent in all gender and company groups. Every piece of information provided by the POP menus was “always” or “almost always” read by 41% of the men and 51% of the women surveyed. The corresponding rate for posters was 30% in men and 32% in women. For leaflets, only 16% of men and 22% of women read almost all of the leaflets. More attention was paid to the POP menu when the sample was women, older, and ate at the company restaurant at least three times a week. Conclusion: The POP menu may provide health-related information to a broader range of people than posters and leaflets, therefore, it is an effective material for population strategy.

The evaluation of materials to provide health-related information as a population strategy in the worksite: The high-risk and population strategy for occupational health promotion (HIPOP-OHP) study

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To examine the effectiveness of newly developed materials for providing health-related information to the worksite population, we compared the amount of attention that employees paid to the materials.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Study subjects were 2,361 employees in six companies participating in an intervention program between 2002 and 2003. Three kinds of media were used as tools for providing health information: [1] Point Of Purchase advertising menus (POP menus) were placed on all tables in company restaurants, [2] posters were put on walls and [3] leaflets were distributed at health-related events. One year or more after the introduction of these media, we compared the amount of attention paid to each type of medium.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Amongst the three types of media, the POP menu drew the most attention, although results were not consistent in all gender and company groups. Every piece of information provided by the POP menus was "always" or "almost always" read by 41% of the men and 51% of the women surveyed. The corresponding rate for posters was 30% in men and 32% in women. For leaflets, only 16% of men and 22% of women read almost all of the leaflets. More attention was paid to the POP menu when the sample was women, older, and ate at the company restaurant at least three times a week.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The POP menu may provide health-related information to a broader range of people than posters and leaflets, therefore, it is an effective material for population strategy.</p>