# Project 3: Engaging Navajo Elementary Schools in a Randomized Controlled Trial: Yéego! Healthy Eating & Gardening

> **NIH NIH U54** · FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER RESEARCH CENTER · 2020 · $219,602

## Abstract

Title: Engaging Navajo Elementary Schools in a Randomized Controlled Trial: Yéego! Healthy Eating &
Gardening
 Project Leaders: Kevin Lombard, NMSU; Shirley Beresford, India Ornelas; Fred Hutch
[The content of this Pilot Proposal is identical in the NMSU and Fred Hutch proposals]
PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Navajo families are at increased risk for obesity, diabetes and cancer in part due to low fruit and vegetable
consumption. The proposed study aims to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among Navajo families
through a school-based intervention focused on gardening and healthy eating. The study builds on our
longstanding collaboration with the Navajo Nation through which, we have shown that gardening is a culturally
appropriate strategy for improving healthy eating in this population. Our previous research has highlighted the
importance of family in shaping health behaviors, and a desire to protect the health of the next generation by
encouraging healthy eating habits. We have developed and are currently pilot testing a healthy eating and
gardening curriculum to promote both gardening and healthy eating among Navajo elementary school children.
The intervention was developed based on social cognitive theory, literature on previous school-based
gardening interventions, and our own formative work in Navajo communities. The integrated intervention
comprises 1) a 24-unit curriculum on both healthy eating and gardening, and 2) a school garden, and aims to
build students’ self-efficacy to grow and eat fruits and vegetables, as well as making other healthy food
choices. In the new proposed study, we will estimate the efficacy of the intervention using a small, randomized
delayed intervention comparison trial in two Navajo Nation Chapters (towns), involving about six schools in all.
During the first year, we will identify and engage schools in the Navajo Division of Education system interested
in participating in the trial. We will match schools within each town, and randomize schools within towns to
intervention and delayed intervention groups. In the second year, we will implement the integrated intervention
in the intervention schools, and will assess changes in outcomes over the school year among a sample of the
elementary school children in grades 3 and 4 at each school (in both the intervention and comparison schools)
as well as their parent. The primary outcomes are child measures: a) tendency to choose vegetable and fruit
items to eat; b) healthy eating score from a Navajo foods picture sort; c) gardening at home and d) self-efficacy
to garden. Analyses estimating the intervention effect will use the differential change over this school year
between the two groups of schools, adjusting for school level clustering. We will also assess process
outcomes, including recruitment, retention and intervention fidelity. After the primary evaluation is complete,
the delayed intervention group will receive the curriculum intervention in the second school ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10003211
- **Project number:** 5U54CA132381-13
- **Recipient organization:** FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER RESEARCH CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** SHIRLEY AA BERESFORD
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $219,602
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2007-09-30 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10003211

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10003211, Project 3: Engaging Navajo Elementary Schools in a Randomized Controlled Trial: Yéego! Healthy Eating & Gardening (5U54CA132381-13). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10003211. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*