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Background: Missouri’s state and municipal parks are significant partners in improving the health of over 17.9 million visitors each year. While parks support physical activities through programs and infrastructure, only one park in the state specifically has a healthy eating policy, but little is known about the food options or food policies in place at the majority of local parks. Filling this knowledge gap would help inform healthy eating interventions and policies.
Program background: More than 76% of Missourians ate less than five fruits and vegetables per day in 2007 (DHSS, Health and Preventive Practices, MICA) and nearly 27% are obese (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). To determine a baseline of local parks’ nutritional content and policies, the University of Missouri’s Health Communication Research Center, University of Missouri Extension, Missouri Council for Activity and Nutrition (MOCAN), and the Missouri Parks and Recreation Association (MPRA) conducted an online survey of 90 municipal and urban park directors and staff to collect a preliminary baseline of foods, policies and practices.
Evaluation Methods and Results: In March 2012, we launched an online survey of MPRA park directors and staff as well as concessionaires for the parks. The survey consisted of 32 questions regarding park demographics, respondants’ roles and responsibilities for healthy food purchasing, and foods available to patrons, as well as respondants’ senses of self-efficacy and knowledge around choosing healthy foods. Results of the food offerings and food policy survey will be analyzed to understand the relationship between park staffs’ perceived self-efficacy and healthy food purchasing decisions. Preliminary data suggest that a high sense of self-efficacy has little bearing on current purchasing decisions.
Conclusions: Local parks are key partners in public health and health communication projects aimed at improving nutrition choices for a wide array of audiences. The preliminary findings from our study suggest that targeting local parks staff is a potentially effective way of changing the public’s food environment to healthier choices and options. Analysis of food offerings and food policy from the survey show a much needed area for future intervention applicable to other states and health communicators.
Implications for research and/or practice: Given the results, this project plans to 1) modify the state park concessionaire contracting policies and procedures to support the purchase and sale of healthy, fresh, and local foods; 2) develop MPRA endorsed model healthy concessions policies and guidance for public parks; and 3) provide health communication campaign materials, training and technical assistance to state and public park concessionaires and staff so they can implement and support new policies.