A motivational interviewing intervention to increase fruit and vegetable intake through Black churches: results of the Eat for Life trial.
OBJECTIVE
This study reports on Eat for Life, a multicomponent intervention to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among African Americans that was delivered through Black churches.


METHODS
Fourteen churches were randomly assigned to 3 treatment conditions: (1) comparison, (2) self-help intervention with 1 telephone cue call, and (3) self-help with 1 cue call and 3 counseling calls. The telephone counseling in group 3 was based on motivational interviewing. The primary outcome, assessed at baseline and 1-year follow-up, was fruit and vegetable intake as assessed by 3 food frequency questionnaires.


RESULTS
Change in fruit and vegetable intake was significantly greater in the motivational interviewing group than in the comparison and self-help groups. The net difference between the motivational interviewing and comparison groups was 1.38, 1.03, and 1.21 servings of fruits and vegetables per day for the 2-item, 7-item, and 36-item food frequency questionnaires, respectively. The net difference between the motivational interviewing and self-help groups was 1.14, 1.10, and 0.97 servings for the 2-item, 7-item, and 36-item food frequency questionnaires, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Motivational interviewing appears to be a promising strategy for modifying dietary behavior, and Black churches are an excellent setting to implement and evaluate health promotion programs.
Resnicow
K
K
Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1520 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. kresnic@sph.emory.edu
Jackson
A
A
Wang
T
T
De
A K
AK
McCarty
F
F
Dudley
W N
WN
Baranowski
T
T
D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D003376:Counseling; D004032:Diet / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D008517:Phytotherapy; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D014675:Vegetables / Q000627:therapeutic use