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The Effects of Nutrition Education on Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Food Pantry Clients

St. Cyr, Sarah J.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1439308407

Abstract Details

2015, MS, University of Cincinnati, Allied Health Sciences: Nutrition.
Background: Food pantry clients tend to be of low-socioeconomic status and are therefore at a greater risk for developing chronic diseases and having lower than average intakes of fruits and vegetables. Despite nutrition education interventions being effective at increasing the fruit and vegetable consumption of target populations, no studies have evaluated the effectiveness of a nutrition education program on the fruit and vegetable intake in adult food pantry clients. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a nutrition education intervention on the fruit and vegetable consumption in adult food pantry clients using mixed methods (survey and photovoice). Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted with 21 adult food pantry clients in the intervention group, and 26 adult food pantry clients in the control group. Those in the intervention group attended a 4-week nutrition education program focused on fruit and vegetable consumption while those in the control group received no intervention. The effects of the intervention on the fruit and vegetable consumption and self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and self-regulation related to fruit and vegetable intake was assessed using a survey. In addition, photovoice was utilized to further evaluate the effectiveness of the nutrition education program in the intervention group only. Results: At baseline, the control group consumed significantly (p=0.0025) more fruit than the intervention group. After the nutrition education program, participants in the intervention group significantly (p=0.002) increased their whole fruit intake, while the control group did not. The change in the intervention groups’ whole fruit intake was significant (p=0.002) compared to the change in the control group. There were no significant differences in the pre or posttest results within or between the groups in terms of their vegetable consumption, fruit juice consumption, self-efficacy, self-regulation or outcome expectations related to eating fruits and vegetables. Major themes identified from photovoice included: dietary behavior change since attending the nutrition education classes, skills applied from the nutrition education classes to make healthy dietary behavior changes, and barriers and facilitators to the participants’ fruit and vegetable consumption. Conclusions: The findings suggest that a 4- week nutrition education program was effective in eliciting positive dietary changes in food pantry clients. The effectiveness of such an intervention in this has not been previously demonstrated. Photovoice was a feasible tool in evaluating the effect of nutrition education programming, particularly highlighting the broader impact of the classes on the individual participants. Implications: Photovoice highlighted that the education was valued by program participants; therefore additional nutrition educations programs should be implemented in this population. To detect potential significant changes in participants’ vegetable intake, future studies should include a large sample size. They should also be longer in duration to include in-depth information on dietary patterns that can prevent chronic disease beyond fruit and vegetable intake, and should include a longer follow-up time to determine if changes to the participants’ diets are sustainable.
Seung-Yeon Lee, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Melinda Butsch-Kovacic, Ph.D. M.P.H. (Committee Member)
71 p.
Nutrition
Nutirtion Education; Low-income; Fruit and Vegetable Consumption; Mixed Methods; Food Pantry Clients

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • St. Cyr, S. J. (2015). The Effects of Nutrition Education on Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Food Pantry Clients [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1439308407

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • St. Cyr, Sarah. The Effects of Nutrition Education on Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Food Pantry Clients. 2015. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1439308407.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • St. Cyr, Sarah. "The Effects of Nutrition Education on Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Food Pantry Clients." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1439308407

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1439308407
411
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This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.