Encouraging Young Adults to Make Effective Nutrition Choices
Condition: Improve Dietary Behaviors in Young Adults 21-30 Years of Age
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The purpose of this study is to conduct a two site, three arm randomized intervention study
      to improve fruit and vegetable intake, improve whole grain intake and reduce sweetened
      beverages in young adults aged 21 to 30 years. This work is potentially very high impact in
      light of growing overweight and obesity and decreased health status overall, and potential
      dietary benefits to children of our target age group.
    

Detailed description: 
      In support of NIH goals to improve people's health and support a healthy lifestyle, we will
      conduct a randomized trial to evaluate an age-targeted web-based intervention designed to
      improve the diet of a young adults (ages 21-30) as they navigate a new life stage of greater
      independence. The goal of our study is to increase daily intake of fruits and vegetables(FV)
      for young adults born in or after 1980, known as "Generation Y" (GenY), using relevant
      features that appeal to this group. This five-year project has two phases. In the first
      phase, we will use focus groups to confirm planned, key intervention elements that target
      needs and preferences of GenY and will build engagement in the intervention, as we revise our
      tested, effective Internet- based intervention (Making Effective Nutrition Choices or MENU,
      U19-CA079689). The MENU study was designed to support an increase in FV intake, and relied
      solely on e-media (internet and email). In the proposed study we will revise the MENU
      curriculum, applying age-targeted and theory-based methods to improve intervention engagement
      and effectiveness for GenY dietary behavior change. The intervention will use three
      psychosocial features which have been subject to empirical examination by age group: Social
      Cognitive Theory, Self-Determination Theory (SDT), with special attention to Social Marketing
      Theory(SMT), which emphasizes understanding the total environment to better shape health
      communications.

      In developing our program, we will apply knowledge about GenY from developmental
      psychology,guided by our consultants and formative research on individual, environmental and
      societal factors collected in our preliminary studies and Phase I GenY focus groups. Focus
      group members will evaluate our validated MENU intervention, as well as our revised
      age-targeted, interactive "MENU GenY" intervention prior to launch. In the second phase, we
      will evaluate the efficacy of the MENU GenY interventions, including the added value of the
      self-initiated, personalized e-coaching support by email, as a supplement to the tailored
      online intervention. Specifically, using a sample of 1624 adults,ages 21 - 30 and from two
      geographically distinct regions (urban Detroit and rural Pennsylvania), and employing a
      randomized, three arm design, the primary aims of Phase II are to 1) determine if an
      agetargeted,tailored web-based intervention is more efficacious in improving primary outcome
      of daily intake of FV compared to an untailored intervention arm with no age targeting
      (control arm); 2) determine if a tailored webbased intervention with age targeting and
      personalized e-coaching support is more efficacious than the control; and 3) determine if the
      tailored web-based intervention with age targeting and e-counseling is more efficacious than
      a tailored web-based intervention with age targeting alone.
    

Intervention name(s): MENU GenY
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Participants will assess eligibility, complete consent and baseline survey to enroll online, then be randomized to one of 3 arms: Control Arm 1 - a non-tailored intervention with no age targeting; Arm 2 -age targeted, tailored website set to appeal to young adults and offer a varety of support using muli-media to improve dietary intake of fruit, vegetables and whole grains, and decrease sweet drinks. Arm 3 utilizes the same intervention as Arm 2, and has support via email from eCoaches who use a Motivational Interview approach to support to help change dietary patterns. All arms are active for 4 months with occasionalemail contact throughout the following 8 mo. Follow-up surveys occur at 3 mo, 6 mo, and primary outcome at 12 months.
Other intervention name(s): MENU Choices; MENU Gen-Y; Making Effective Nutrition Choices for Young Adults: the MENU Gen-Y Study
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Factorial Assignment
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: Dietary change; Young adult; Prevention; Web-based intervention; eCoaching