PURPOSE: To describe a 4-year intervention targeting fruit/vegetable consumptionby high school students. DESIGN: This is a cohort study involving six pairs of schools (n = 12) matched on gender, race, enrollment, and location with schools randomly assigned within pairs tointervention or control conditions. SETTING: Twelve Archdiocese of New Orleans high schools. SUBJECTS:Cohort was defined as students (n = 2339) who were ninth-graders in the 1993-94 school year who provided baseline data. INTERVENTION: Four components of the intervention are: (1) school-wide media-marketing campaign, (2) school-wide meal and snack modification, (3) classroom workshops and supplementary subject matter activities, and (4) parental involvement. MEASURES: Focus groups were conducted for target population input and program development. Process evaluation included student feedback on media-marketing intervention materials and activities reported here. Process measures also included school meal participation, student characteristics, and verification of intervention activities. RESULTS: Focus groups identified barriers to increased consumption of fruit and vegetables as lack of availability, variety, and inconsistency in taste. Student attitudes were favorable regarding a school program to improve diet and parental involvement. Low consumption of fruits/vegetables was reported. After a 2-month school-wide program introduction utilizing various media-marketing materials and activities, 93% of students were aware of the program and 96% could identify the healthy eating message. CONCLUSIONS: Program development can be guided and enriched by student input via focus groups. Media-marketing activities effectively delivered health messages and attracted students' attention. Materials and activities used were acceptable channels for increasing awareness, positive attitudes, and knowledge about fruits/vegetables.
RCT Entities:
PURPOSE: To describe a 4-year intervention targeting fruit/vegetable consumption by high school students. DESIGN: This is a cohort study involving six pairs of schools (n = 12) matched on gender, race, enrollment, and location with schools randomly assigned within pairs to intervention or control conditions. SETTING: Twelve Archdiocese of New Orleans high schools. SUBJECTS: Cohort was defined as students (n = 2339) who were ninth-graders in the 1993-94 school year who provided baseline data. INTERVENTION: Four components of the intervention are: (1) school-wide media-marketing campaign, (2) school-wide meal and snack modification, (3) classroom workshops and supplementary subject matter activities, and (4) parental involvement. MEASURES: Focus groups were conducted for target population input and program development. Process evaluation included student feedback on media-marketing intervention materials and activities reported here. Process measures also included school meal participation, student characteristics, and verification of intervention activities. RESULTS: Focus groups identified barriers to increased consumption of fruit and vegetables as lack of availability, variety, and inconsistency in taste. Student attitudes were favorable regarding a school program to improve diet and parental involvement. Low consumption of fruits/vegetables was reported. After a 2-month school-wide program introduction utilizing various media-marketing materials and activities, 93% of students were aware of the program and 96% could identify the healthy eating message. CONCLUSIONS: Program development can be guided and enriched by student input via focus groups. Media-marketing activities effectively delivered health messages and attracted students' attention. Materials and activities used were acceptable channels for increasing awareness, positive attitudes, and knowledge about fruits/vegetables.
Authors: Leah Frerichs; Jeri Brittin; Dina Sorensen; Matthew J Trowbridge; Amy L Yaroch; Mohammad Siahpush; Melissa Tibbits; Terry T-K Huang Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2015-02-25 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Saskia J te Velde; Marianne Wind; Frank J van Lenthe; Knut-Inge Klepp; Johannes Brug Journal: Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act Date: 2006-09-22 Impact factor: 6.457
Authors: Maike Neuhaus; Genevieve N Healy; Brianna S Fjeldsoe; Sheleigh Lawler; Neville Owen; David W Dunstan; Anthony D LaMontagne; Elizabeth G Eakin Journal: Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act Date: 2014-02-21 Impact factor: 6.457