| The incidence of overweight and obesity in the United States is a concern for all income groups. This issue is more prevalent and more difficult to resolve in low-income communities. Traditional nutrition education programs often show community members ways to access healthy food and increase physical activity, but do not foster behavioral change. One program that focuses on health behavior change is the Growing Healthy Program, a community-based hands-on gardening, nutrition, and cooking program based in Washtenaw County, Michigan. The purpose of this research was to examine how the Growing Healthy Program was developed and implemented, and what changes participants made as a result of completing the program.; Qualitative in-depth interviews and participant observation were used to understand the program outcomes and implications for future research from the perspective of both the instructors and participants. The outcomes included increased knowledge related to health, behavioral changes, and increased self-efficacy, achieved through transformative and conscious learning that included discourse and hands-on activities. Participants were empowered to make decisions and take actions to better their health. Recommendations for future research and program development include improving components of the program design and class logistics. |
