Pilot weight control intervention among US veterans to promote diets high in fruits and vegetables.
BACKGROUND
Obesity is a significant problem among US veterans. Diets high in fruits and vegetables (FV) can lower obesity risk. Health communication interventions are promising strategies for promoting healthy eating. We evaluated whether an enhanced intervention with tailored newsletters and motivational interviewing calls would be more effective than the Veterans Affairs (VA) weight management program, MOVE!, at increasing FV intake among overweight/obese veterans.


METHODS
Using a quasi-experimental design, 195 veterans at two clinics participated at baseline and 6-month follow-up from 2005 to 2006. Measures included daily FV intake and information processing of the intervention. The control group (MOVE!) received educational information, group sessions, and standard phone calls about weight. The intervention included MOVE! components plus tailored newsletters and motivational interviewing calls.


RESULTS
The intervention group reported a statistically significant increase in FV servings compared to control (1.7 vs. 1.2; p ≤ 0.05). Veterans who read more of the tailored newsletters (β=0.15, p=0.01) and perceived the messages as important (β=0.12, p<0.01) and applicable to their lives (β=0.12, p<0.01) ate more FV than those who did not. However, receiving MI calls and information processing regarding the calls were not associated with FV intake.


CONCLUSIONS
A tailored intervention can impact short term FV intake for obesity prevention.
Allicock
Marlyn
M
Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box #7461, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. allicock@email.unc.edu
Ko
Linda
L
van der Sterren
Elke
E
Valle
Carmina G
CG
Campbell
Marci K
MK
Carr
Carol
C
D015992:Body Mass Index; D004032:Diet / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D037001:Directive Counseling / Q000379:methods; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010506:Periodicals as Topic; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014675:Vegetables; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data