title: Mediating effects of home-related factors on fat intake from snacks in a school-based nutrition intervention among adolescents.
abstract: The purpose of the present study was to investigate if the effects of the parental component of a school-based intervention on dietary fat intake from snacking were mediated by changes in home-related factors. A random sample of 10 schools with 2232 pupils aged 11-15 years was randomly assigned to one of two intervention groups [one with (n = 1226) and one without a parental component (n = 1006)]. Fat intake, home availability of low-fat foods and parental encouragement and support to eat a low-fat diet were assessed with validated self-administered questionnaires. Mediation was assessed with the product-of-coefficient test. Changes in home-related determinants were significantly related to changes in fat intake from snacks; therefore, school-based obesity programmes on adolescents should try to address these determinants. In the present study, one of the three investigated home-related factors, namely parental support, was affected by the parental component intervention. Decreases in parental support were prevented. These changes in parental support were found to mediate the parental intervention effects on changes in fat intake from snacks. Home-related factors appear to be related to changes in adolescents' snacking behaviours, therefore, school-based obesity programmes should target them. Nevertheless, more research is needed concerning effectively addressing the other determinants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. wendy.vanlippevelde@ugent.be
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Van Lippevelde
authors.forename: Maartje
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Stralen
authors.forename: Maïté
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Verloigne
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: De Bourdeaudhuij
authors.forename: Benedicte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Deforche
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brug
authors.forename: Lea
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Maes
authors.forename: Leen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Haerens
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017195:Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D004041:Dietary Fats; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D012572:School Health Services; D012574:Schools; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats