title: Sisters in health: experiential program emphasizing social interaction increases fruit and vegetable intake among low-income adults.
abstract: Sisters in Health, a nutrition education program aimed at increasing fruit and vegetable consumption among low-income women, includes active food experiences, positive social settings, a flexible meeting series, and small-group facilitation by paraprofessionals. The program's impact was evaluated in a nonrandom sample of 269 low-income adults in 32 intervention and 10 control groups in New York State using a quasi-experimental, pre-/postprogram evaluation design. Intervention groups reported increased fruit and vegetable consumption, measured by a brief screener, of 1.6 times a day (versus 0.8 times in the control groups) and were 0.44 times more likely to be eating fruits and vegetables 5 or more times a day (P < .05) than control groups. Group support, taste, and food skill experiences can be effective for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithica, New York, USA. cmd10@cornell.edu
authors.forename: Carol M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Devine
authors.forename: Tracy J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Farrell
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hartman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011203:Poverty; D014675:Vegetables; D016387:Women's Health