A computerised tailored intervention for increasing intakes of fruit, vegetables, brown bread and wholegrain cereals in adolescent girls.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effectiveness of a computer-generated tailored intervention leaflet compared with a generic leaflet aimed at increasing brown bread, wholegrain cereal, fruit and vegetable intakes in adolescent girls.


METHODS
Clustered randomised controlled trial. Dietary intake was assessed via three 24 h dietary recalls.


METHODS
Eight secondary schools in areas of low income and/or high ethnic diversity, five in London and three in the West Midlands, UK.


METHODS
Girls aged 12-16 years participated (n 823) and were randomised by school class to receive either the tailored intervention (n 406) or a generic leaflet (n 417).


RESULTS
At follow-up 637 (77 %) participants completed both baseline and follow-up dietary recalls. The tailored intervention leaflet had a statistically significant effect on brown bread intake (increasing from 0.39 to 0.51 servings/d) with a smaller but significant increase in the control group also (increasing from 0.28 to 0.35 servings/d). The intervention group achieved 0.05 more servings of brown bread daily than the control group (P < 0.05), which is equivalent to 0.35 servings/week. For the other foods there were no significant effects of the tailored intervention.


CONCLUSIONS
The intervention group consumed approximately 0.35 more servings of brown bread weekly than the control group from baseline. Although this change between groups was statistically significant the magnitude was small. Evaluation of the intervention was disappointing but the tailored leaflet was received more positively in some respects than the control leaflet. More needs to be done to increase motivation to change dietary intake in adolescent girls.
Rees
Gail
G
School of Biological Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK. gail.rees@plymouth.ac.uk
Bakhshi
Savita
S
Surujlal-Harry
Alecia
A
Stasinopoulos
Mikis
M
Baker
Anna
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D001939:Bread; D002648:Child; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D004032:Diet / Q000592:standards*; D015930:Diet Records; D004034:Diet Surveys; D002523:Edible Grain; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D005638:Fruit; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010174:Pamphlets; D011203:Poverty; D012574:Schools; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D006113:United Kingdom; D014675:Vegetables