title: Evaluation of a web-based program promoting healthy eating and physical activity for adolescents: teen choice: food and fitness.
abstract: This randomized clinical trial tested the impact of a website promoting nutrition and physical activity for adolescents (Teen Choice: Food and Fitness). Participants, (408) 12- to 17-year-old adolescents in the Houston area, completed online surveys measuring diet, physical activity, sedentary behavior and diet/physical activity mediators at baseline. After randomization, they were asked to log onto either the intervention or the control condition website weekly for 8 weeks to review web content and set goals to improve dietary and physical activity behaviors. Post-test occurred after 8 weeks. Logistic regression analyses and one-way analyses of covariance were used in the analyses. At post, more intervention group adolescents reported eating three or more daily vegetable servings in the past week compared with the control group (P < 0.05); both groups reported significant increases in physical activity (P < 0.001) and significant decreases in TV watching (P < 0.01). Average log on rate was 75% over the 8 weeks; there was no difference by condition. The website enabled adolescents to improve vegetable intake and daily physical activity, reduce sedentary behavior and had a high log on rate. Future research should identify effective methods for disseminating this website to wider audiences.
authors.affiliation: USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, 1100 Bates Street, Houston, TX 77030-2600, USA. kcullen@bcm.edu
authors.forename: Karen Weber
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Cullen
authors.forename: Debbe
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boushey
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Konzelmann
authors.forename: Tzu-An
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D017195:Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013781:Texas