influence of the Healthy Eating for Life Program on eating behaviors of nonmetropolitan congregate meal participants
Current research indicates that when older adults increase their consumption offruits and vegetables, they maintain or improve their health. Thus, their quality oflife can be improved and health care costs lowered. A purposive sample of older adults (treatment group, n=50; control group, n=51) atten...
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Veröffentlicht in: | Family economics and nutrition review 2003-01, Vol.15 (1), p.15-24 |
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Sprache: | eng |
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Zusammenfassung: | Current research indicates that when older adults increase their consumption offruits and vegetables, they maintain or improve their health. Thus, their quality oflife can be improved and health care costs lowered. A purposive sample of older adults (treatment group, n=50; control group, n=51) attending congregate meals participated in this study, with the treatment group receiving four lessons on fruits and vegetables over 4 weeks. The Stages of Change construct of theTranstheoretical Model was used to identify separate stages of change related to fruit- and vegetable-eating behaviors. Pre- versus post-test results showed that the treatment group's consumption of vegetables changed significantly, a positive movement from a lower stage of change (e.g., from Precontemplation, which was 30 percent at pre-test and 12 percent at post-test) to a higher category at posttest (e.g., taking action to change, or maintaining, their fruit- and vegetable-eating behaviors). Based on findings of this study, lessons on fruits and vegetables that include the Healthy Eating for Life Program (HELP) may promote positive changes in eating behaviors of nonmetropolitan participants of congregate meals and should be considered for study with similar older adult populations. |
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ISSN: | 1085-9985 1554-897X |