title: Using learner-centered education to improve fruit and vegetable intake in California WIC participants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effectiveness of learner-centered education in conveying the message to change participants' fruit and vegetable consumption.
  
  
  METHODS
  Focus groups were conducted with sites participating in the Finding the Teacher Within (FTW) program and comparison sites 4-6 months after participants attended the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) fruit and vegetable class.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six California WIC agencies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty predominantly Latina mothers with young children, 30 from 3 participating intervention agencies and 30 from 3 comparison agencies, participated in focus groups. Each agency independently recruited mothers for participation. Apart from selecting only mothers, no other exclusion criteria were applied.
  
  
  METHODS
  An FTW learner-centered fruit and vegetable class.
  
  
  METHODS
  An analytic team independently reviewed transcripts and coded themes. The long-table analytic approach was used to categorize results. Results from intervention and comparison groups were compared and ranked to create a textual summary.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most significant difference between the intervention and comparison groups' reports was that intervention participants identified more value, importance, and relevance of the fruit and vegetable information and adopting new fruit and vegetable practices after attending the class.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  California WIC demonstrated that messages delivered through this process can be retained and integrated into family life practices.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Center for Weight and Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA. danaeg@nature.berkeley.edu
authors.forename: Dana E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Gerstein
authors.forename: Anna C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Crocker
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elfant
authors.forename: Pat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Crawford
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002140:California; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005522:Food Services; D005638:Fruit; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008430:Maternal-Child Health Centers; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011632:Public Assistance; D014675:Vegetables