Psychosocial factors and intervention-associated changes in those factors as correlates of change in fruit and vegetable consumption in the Maryland WIC 5 A Day Promotion Program.
This study sought to examine: (a) the relative effects of baseline demographic and psychosocial factors and an intensive nutritional intervention on changes in fruit and vegetable consumption in low-income, ethnically diverse women served by the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program in Maryland; (b) whether this intervention, designed to modify psychosocial factors associated with fruit and vegetable consumption, was successful in changing these factors; and (c) whether changes in these factors were associated with increased consumption. The same women from 15 WIC program sites were surveyed at baseline and postintervention 8 months later. Women randomized to the intervention group showed significantly greater mean change in self-efficacy, attitudes, social support, and knowledge of national consumption recommendations than control group women. Changes in all psychosocial factors were significantly associated with nutrition session attendance and increased consumption. In a hierarchical model, changes in these factors accounted for most of the intervention effect on increased consumption.
Langenberg
P
P
Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 660 West Redwood Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
Ballesteros
M
M
Feldman
R
R
Damron
D
D
Anliker
J
J
Havas
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education; D006285:Health Planning / Q000639:trends*; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008396:Maryland; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011897:Random Allocation; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables