Bringing Behavioral Change Education to Life: Incorporating Healthy Eating into College Classroom Teaching

This study evaluates the impact of implementing a Healthy Eating Challenge within the classroom setting. The activity integrated nutrition education, self-discovery/reflection, and community support. The findings underscore the potential of this approach to effectively educate college students about healthy eating and behavioral change models. This personalized active learning classroom project utilized a diverse array of effective educational strategies, including personalized goal setting, self-discovery and assessment, and creative expression of the Challenge experience. These strategies were employed to align behavioral change goals with an individual’s readiness to embrace change. They served to foster a more comprehensive understanding of behavioral modification concepts and strengthen their reinforcement among college students. Throughout the Challenge, participants identified modifications that they would like to incorporate, such as enhancing meal balance, adding food variety, preparing food in advance, and eating breakfast earlier. This Challenge not only reshaped participants’ perception of influential factors guiding behavioral transformations but also notably reduced the perceived barrier of inadequate cooking skills.