title: Nutrition knowledge and associated behavior changes in a holistic, short-term nutrition education intervention with low-income women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the impact of a short-term nutrition intervention using education on a comprehensive array of nutrition and health topics in low-income women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pre- and postintervention surveys; 1 study condition (intervention group); experiential learning; pilot testing of education sessions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community centers, homeless shelters, or University of Minnesota, in Minneapolis-St Paul metropolitan area.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ethnically diverse, low-income women (n = 118), 23-45 years of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three educational sessions providing a comprehensive curriculum of nutrition and health education via experiential and interactive lectures, activities, and demonstrations. One week to implement knowledge and behavioral changes, and pre- and postsurvey sessions to collect anthropometric data and evaluate changes in knowledge and behavior.
  
  
  METHODS
  Health benefits of all food groups; identification of healthful foods; shopping, cooking, and gardening; and energy balance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Paired t tests, Pearson correlations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Postintervention increases in nutrition knowledge and favorable nutrition behavioral changes (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A short-term nutrition intervention using comprehensive nutrition and health education through experiential and interactive lessons, activities, and demonstrations has the capacity to increase nutrition knowledge and favorably change nutrition behaviors in a sample of low-income women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, St Paul, MN.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rustad
authors.forename: Chery
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: education; intervention; lifestyle; low-income; nutrition