title: Using a Toolbox of tailored educational lessons to improve fruit, vegetable, and physical activity behaviors among African American women in California.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluate the effectiveness of the Fruit, Vegetable, and Physical Activity Toolbox for Community Educators (Toolbox), an intervention originally designed for Spanish- and English-speaking audiences, in changing knowledge, attitudes, and behavior among low-income African American women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quasi-experimental design with treatment and control groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four community-based organizations and direct health service provider sites.
  
  
  METHODS
  African American women ages 18-54 (156 treatment, 171 control), 75% of whom were low income.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six 1-hour Toolbox classes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, empowerment, and behavior change related to fruits and vegetables and physical activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dependent t tests pre- to posttest and chi-square test between control and treatment groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women in the treatment group reported significant changes in 9 measures of attitude, compared to 1 measure in the control group, as well as 12 measures of confidence and 5 measures of empowerment for which the control group showed no changes. Compared to those in the control group, women in the treatment group were also more likely to make behavioral changes to meet recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Toolbox lessons were effective in increasing participants' knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, empowerment, and reported fruit and vegetable- and physical activity-related behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Network for a Healthy California, California Department of Public Health and Public Health Institute, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA. desiree.backman@cdph.ca.gov
authors.forename: Desiree
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Backman
authors.forename: Valarie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Scruggs
authors.forename: Akpene Ama
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Atiedu
authors.forename: Shene
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bowie
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bye
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dennis
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ossa
authors.forename: Stacy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wertlieb
authors.forename: Susan B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Foerster
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002140:California; D002755:Choice Behavior; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables