title: Fruit and vegetable intake among rural youth following a school-based randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We implemented a theory-based randomized controlled trial (Living Free of Tobacco, Plus (LIFT+) in ten rural middle schools and assessed impact on tobacco use and fruit/vegetable (F/V) intake in 2008-2010. Data on F/V intake at baseline, immediate post intervention, and 1-year follow-up are presented.
  
  
  METHODS
  Schools were randomized to intervention or control groups. Goal setting, peer leaders, and class workshops with parent involvement, were intervention features; community partners were supportive. Seventh graders filled out surveys on health behaviors, psycho-social variables, and demographic characteristics. Adjusted models comparing intervention and control conditions were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sample (n=1119) was 48.5% female, 50% White, with a mean age of 12.7 years. Mean F/V servings were significantly higher in intervention schools at immediate post (3.19 servings) and at 1-year (3.02 servings) compared to controls (2.90, 2.69 respectively). Knowledge of 5-a-day recommendation was significantly higher in intervention schools at immediate post test (75.0%) versus controls (53.8%) but not at 1-year follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intervention schools reported significantly higher mean F/V servings at post intervention and 1-year, and for knowledge of F/V recommendations at immediate post compared to controls. Higher levels of parent and community involvement may further increase F/V intake in future interventions. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01412697.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and VCU Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1200 East Broad Street, P.O. Box 980306, Richmond, VA 23298, USA. dbwilson@vcu.edu
authors.forename: Diane Baer
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Resa M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McClish
authors.forename: Alice L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Westerberg
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Danish
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006040:Goals; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012574:Schools; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014675:Vegetables; D014768:Virginia