Abstract A24: A brief theory-based healthy eating intervention aimed at skills building at home can increase fruit and vegetable consumption among Latinas
Authors: Ko Linda K. , Rodriguez Edgar , Yoon Jihye 
Published: May 2015

Introduction: Latinos are at increased risk for obesity, which places them at risk for a variety of health conditions, including cancer. Multiple factors contribute to obesity among Latinos, and interventions directed toward Latinas can impact their eating habits and their families. However, past interventions on obesity have mainly focused on health education, leaving participants to make use of the information on their own when they return to their homes. Guided by the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), we developed a brief theory-based healthy eating intervention that aims to facilitate the application of the learned information at participants' homes. This study investigated the effects of a healthy eating intervention on fruit and vegetable consumptions (FVC) among Latinas.

Experimental Procedures: The brief, 8-week pre-post intervention study recruited Latinas (n=40) from Washington State, who attended 4 intervention sessions biweekly. The intervention aimed to 1) improve knowledge of healthy eating and cooking through seminars and take-home newsletters, 2) enhance positive food outcomes through discussions, and 3) improve food efficacy in meal preparations and FVC through cooking demonstration and take-home food baskets to replicate recipes at home. The outcome variable was FVC. We also measured weight, demographics, SCT constructs (food efficacy and food outcomes), and perceived barriers of healthy eating.

Results: The average age of the participants was 37.8 (±10.5). Many were from Mexico (70%), uninsured (70%), working full- or part-time (43%), married/living with a partner (78%), and had an annual household income of less than $20,000 (48%). At post intervention, knowledge of recommended daily F&V intake, food efficacy, and food outcomes increased, while perceived barriers decreased. The proportion of Latinas reporting correct knowledge of daily FVC increased from 13% to 26% as well as reports on how to prepare healthy foods (17% vs. 83%). Food efficacy score significantly increased including Latinas report of confidence for eating at least 5 servings of F&V daily (p=0.001), eating a fruit for a snack (p=0.017) and choosing a side salad instead of French fries when dining (p&lt;0.001). There was a decrease in participants' report of negative food outcomes with less participants expecting to miss the food they love (45% vs. 8%) and needing to plan meals too far in advance (35% vs. 18%). Perceived barriers among Latinas also decreased, including not having time to make healthy foods (20% vs. 5%), not having healthy food at home (28% vs. 10%), and having friends and family influence unhealthy eating (45% vs. 33%). Self-report of FVC significantly increased from 1.8 servings (±1.2) to 2.7 servings (±1.6; p=0.001) for fruit consumption and from 1.7 servings (±1.3) to 2.8 servings (±1.6; p=0.001) for vegetable consumption. There was no overall significant change in participants' weight (76.6 kg vs. 76.0 kg), but one third of Latinas lost weight (75.4 kg vs. 73.0 kg; p&lt;0.001).

Conclusions: A healthy eating intervention designed to connect learned skills at home increased knowledge, food efficacy, food outcomes, FVC and weight lost. Increasing opportunities to facilitate application of the learned information at participants' homes can promote FVC and reduce obesity among Latinos.

Citation Format: Linda K. Ko, Edgar Rodriguez, Jihye Yoon. A brief theory-based healthy eating intervention aimed at skills building at home can increase fruit and vegetable consumption among Latinas. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Sixth AACR Conference: The Science of Cancer Health Disparities; Dec 6–9, 2013; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2014;23(11 Suppl):Abstract nr A24. doi:10.1158/1538-7755.DISP13-A24