Document Type

Thesis - University Access Only

Award Date

2011

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Health and Nutritional Sciences

Abstract

Few Americans consume the recommended amount of two cups of fruit and three cups of vegetables per day. Consumption of fruits and vegetables is important in reducing the risk of many diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers and is associated with a decrease risk of obesity. Low-income households are less likely to buy fruits and vegetables than those of higher income, citing cost and inaccessibility as barriers. The Transtheoretical Model, or Stages of Change model, can be used to assess a persons' readiness to adopt a healthful diet and a variety of dietary interventions can be based around the stages. Newsletters tailored to stage of change for readiness to consume fruit and vegetables have been used as a dietary intervention in young-adults with promising results. Whether newsletters tailored to the general low-income population will have an effect on fruit and vegetables intake is unknown. The purpose of this project was to evaluate newsletters tailored to low-income participant's stage-of-change as a tool for promoting fruit and vegetable intake. Limited income participants were recruited and staged for readiness to consume fruits and vegetables at four point-of-purchase nutrition sessions. The 31 enrolled participants (61 % Native American, 61 % had an income ofless than $26,000 per year, and 33% were on Food Stamps) were randomized to intervention and control groups and stratified by stage-of-change for readiness to consume fruit and vegetables. Intervention participants were mailed appropriate stage-tailored newsletters for fruit and vegetable once a month for four months. Both intervention and control participants were assessed at pre and post intervention for fruit and vegetable intake and stage-of-change for readiness to consume recommended fruit and vegetable intakes using the staging algorithm. The intervention design was able to reach the intended low income minority population although there were no statistically significant differences in fruit and vegetable intake between pre and post intervention.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Health promotion

Health education

Poor -- Nutrition

Fruit in human nutrition

Vegetables in human nutrition

Newsletters

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

48

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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