15. The Impact of Teacher Fidelity on the Effectiveness of WISE and Early Childhood Health Outcomes

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Food-related behaviors and attitudes of Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) have the potential to create a significant impact on students’ health outcomes. The We Inspire Smart Eating (WISE) intervention program trains ECEs in promoting fruit and vegetable consumption, encouraging preschoolers to adopt healthy eating habits. This study explores the impact of ECE fidelity and WISE effectiveness on preschoolers’ health. We hypothesize better post-intervention health outcomes for preschoolers with ECEs whose fidelity scores improved after WISE training and program implementation. Fidelity was measured monthly across an academic year by data collectors (DCs) during mealtime and food experiences at two Louisiana pre-schools. During, DCs scored ECEs on a scale of 1 being “Not at all” to 4 being “Very much” in three main categories: hands on exposure, mascot use, and role modeling. The first and the last three observations were grouped separately, and the average of each group calculated to convey changes in ECE fidelity performance. A univariate analysis of variance was computed to determine group differences in post-intervention Resonance Raman Spectroscopy (RRS) of preschoolers while controlling for pre-intervention RRS based on fidelity performance (decreased, no change, increased) of their ECEs. Preliminary studies suggest that there was a significant difference among the groups such that ECEs with increased fidelity performance had statistically significantly higher RRS scores post-intervention compared to ECEs with decreased or no change fidelity performance F (2,272) = 5.19, p = .006. A higher RRS score indicates greater fruit and vegetable consumption, suggesting that improved ECE fidelity impacts preschooler health outcomes.