Nutrition education worksite intervention for university staff: application of the health belief model.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of an 8-week worksite nutrition education intervention for university staff using the Health Belief Model (HBM) to promote healthful dietary behaviors that reduce risks for cardiovascular disease and cancer.


METHODS
2 3 2 repeated measures baseline/posttest ex post facto research design.


METHODS
Staff employees were randomly assigned to treatment (n = 28) and control groups (n = 25).


METHODS
The intervention focused on specific health beliefs, nutrition knowledge, and dietary practices to demonstrate treatment effect.


METHODS
Dependent variables were specific health beliefs, nutrition knowledge, and dietary behaviors. Independent variables were demographic characteristics and group assignment.


METHODS
Tests of parametric assumptions, power analyses, analysis of variance, and Kuder-Richardson and Pearson product-moment coefficients were computed and specificity of treatment effects was assessed.


RESULTS
Perceived benefits of healthy nutrition practices and nutrition knowledge related to cardiovascular disease and cancer significantly improved among the treatment participants, P <.001. Treatment group participants also significantly reduced total calories, fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol intake (each P <.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The intervention appears to be related to treatment effects and significantly increased nutrition knowledge and decreased energy, fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol intake to levels consistent with national recommendations.
Abood
Doris A
DA
Department of Nutrition, Food, and Exercise Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA. dabood@mailer.fsu.edu
Black
David R
DR
Feral
Diane
D
D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014495:Universities