The Green Eating Project: web-based intervention to promote environmentally conscious eating behaviours in US university students.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effectiveness of an online, interactive intervention, referred to as the Green Eating (GE) Project, to motivate university students to adopt GE behaviours.


METHODS
The study was quasi-experimental and integrated into courses for credit/extra credit. Courses were randomly stratified into experimental or non-treatment control. The 5-week intervention consisted of four modules based on different GE topics. Participants completed the GE survey at baseline (experimental, n 241; control, n 367) and post (experimental, n 187; control, n 304). The GE survey has been previously validated and consists of Transtheoretical Model constructs including stage of change (SOC), decisional balance (DB: Pros and Cons) and self-efficacy (SE: School and Home) as well as behaviours for GE. Modules contained basic information regarding each topic and knowledge items to assess content learning.


METHODS
The GE Project took place at a public university in the north-eastern USA.


METHODS
Participants were full-time students between the ages of 18 and 24 years.


RESULTS
The GE Project was effective in significantly increasing GE behaviours, DB Pros, SE School and knowledge in experimental compared with control, but did not reduce DB Cons or increase SE Home. Experimental participants were also more likely to be in later SOC for GE at post testing.


CONCLUSIONS
The GE Project was effective in increasing GE behaviours in university students. Motivating consumers towards adopting GE could assist in potentially mitigating negative consequences of the food system on the environment. Future research could tailor the intervention to participant SOC to further increase the effects or design the modules for other participants.
1Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences,University of Rhode Island,10 Ranger Road,Ranger Hall,Kingston,RI 02881,USA.
Jessica T
JT
Monroe
1Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences,University of Rhode Island,10 Ranger Road,Ranger Hall,Kingston,RI 02881,USA.
Ingrid E
IE
Lofgren
2Department of Fisheries,Animal and Veterinary Sciences,University of Rhode Island,Center for Biotechnology & Life Sciences,Kingston,RI,USA.
Becky L
BL
Sartini
1Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences,University of Rhode Island,10 Ranger Road,Ranger Hall,Kingston,RI 02881,USA.
Geoffrey W
GW
Greene
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D003662:Decision Theory; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects; D058735:Environmental Policy; D005523:Food Supply; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D009511:New England; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012237:Rhode Island; D020377:Self Efficacy; D057566:Self Report; D055815:Young Adult
College students; Eating behaviours; Sustainability