A Brief Community-Based Nutrition Education Intervention Combined With Food Baskets Can Increase Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Low-Income Latinos

• Published in: Journal of nutrition education and behavior 2016-10, Vol.48 (9), p.609-617.e1
• Main Authors: Ko, Linda K., PhD, Rodriguez, Edgar, MS, MPH, Yoon, Jihye, MPH, Ravindran, Rekha, MPH, Copeland, Wade K., MS
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Community Health Services; Data collection; Eating behavior; Education; Epistemology; Feeding Behavior; Female; Focus Groups; Food; food baskets; food choice; Fruit; Fruits; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Health Education - methods; Health Promotion - methods; Hispanic Americans; Humans; Internal Medicine; Intervention; Knowledge; Latinos; Male; Metropolitan areas; Middle Aged; Nutrition; Nutrition education; Nutrition Instruction; Nutritional Sciences - education; Outcome Measures; Poverty; Predictor Variables; Social Cognitive Theory; Statistical analysis; Vegetables
• ISSN: 1499-4046; 1878-2620; 1708-8259
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jneb.2016.06.010

Abstract Objective To evaluate the impact of an 8-week community-based nutrition education program combined with food baskets on fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC) among Latinos. Design Pre-post intervention study assessing perceived barriers, knowledge, food efficacy, food outcomes, and FVC, using mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative). Setting Participants' recruitment and data collection took place in the Seattle Metropolitan area from September 2012 to July 2013. Participants Participants' (n = 40) mean age was 37.8 (±10.5) years. Participants were mostly women, from Mexico, uninsured, low income, and overweight or obese. Intervention Nuestras Comidas was developed through the use of the Social Cognitive Theory and focused on increasing behavioral capability, food efficacy, food outcomes, and FVC. Main Outcome Measure Dependent variables were knowledge, perceived barriers, food efficacy, food outcomes, and FVC. Independent variable was the intervention (pre-post). Statistical Analyses A McNemar exact test was computed for categorical variables and Wilcoxon signed-rank test and paired t test for continuous variables. Focus group data were analyzed by identifying common themes. Results Participation in the intervention was significantly associated with increased knowledge, food efficacy, and vegetable consumption. Conclusions and Implications A brief nutrition education intervention combined with food baskets can improve healthy eating among Latinos.