The MSB-Nutrition program was effective in changing students' nutrition behaviors but had no effect on physical activity behaviors or weight loss. Suggestions for improving Internet-based interventions aimed at decreasing obesity rates among college students are offered.
The study purpose was to examine the impact of the Harvest of the Month (HOTM) program on fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption, FV preferences, other eating behaviors, physical activity and other variables related to healthy eating. A clustered randomized controlled trial was employed in 28 elementary schools. After parental consent was obtained, students in grades 4-6 were randomly assigned to treatment and control conditions (Intervention= 127, Control= 148). Students in the intervention group participated in HOTM, a widely used school-based nutrition promotion and obesity prevention program. Control group schools continued their usual practice. Participants completed baseline and follow-up surveys measuring fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption, FV preferences, other eating behaviors, physical activity, FV knowledge and self-efficacy to eat, prepare and ask for FV. No impacts of HOTM were found for FV consumption or other nutritional behaviors, physical activity, FV knowledge, or self-efficacy. A positive impact of the program was only found for FV preferences. This study suggests that the HOTM program did not affect eating behaviors or physical activity behaviors. The evidence base regarding school-based nutrition education programs including HOTM could be strengthened by the use of more rigorous impact evaluations to examine their effectiveness prior to wide-spread use.
Implementation fidelity may be linked to teacher characteristics that can be enhanced during curriculum training. A 2-day teacher training may not adequately address teacher facilitation skills or the maintenance of institutional supports for implementing a program with fidelity and quality. A new model of comprehensive teacher training and support is offered. This new training infrastructure is intended to contribute to the school district's institutionalization of higher-quality comprehensive sexual health education and increase program fidelity.
The Positive Prevention PLUS program demonstrated positive impacts on adolescent sexual behavior. This suggests that programs that focus on having students practice risk reduction skills may delay sexual activity and increase birth control use.
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