Using Reinforcement Schedules to Increase Fruit&Vegetable Intake, Reduce Waste, and Increase School Lunch Participation

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Using small monetary rewards to reinforce healthy behaviors, such as the consumption of fruits and vegetables (F&V), the investigators tested fixed and variable reinforcement schedules in three middle schools. The investigators measured carotenoid levels, as a biomarker of F&V intake, and F&V waste over the intervention time frame. The investigators also tracked the school lunch participation rates over time.

Official Title
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Using Reinforcement Schedules to Improve Carotenoid Levels, Reduce Fruit and Vegetable Waste, and Increase School Lunch Participation in El Paso

Conditions
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Behavioral Changes, Psychology, Social, Nutrition

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Variable (random) interval
* Behavioral: Variable (non-random) interval
* Behavioral: Variable (random) interval with table tents
* Behavioral: Control


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: students attending three participating middle schools (Ysleta Independent School District) Exclusion Criteria: N/A

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 11 Years
Maximum Age: 16 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Number of participants below is best estimate of students exposed to the intervention based on school lunch participation rates.
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: School 1<br> | Behavioral: Variable (non-random) interval<br>* Using Variable (Non-random) Interval Reinforcement Schedules to Increase Fruit and Vegetable Intake, Reduce Fruit and Vegetable Waste, and Increase School Lunch Participation<br>Behavioral: Control<br>* No intervention<br>|
| Experimental: School 2<br> | Behavioral: Variable (random) interval<br>* Using Variable (Random) Interval Reinforcement Schedules to Increase Fruit and Vegetable Intake, Reduce Fruit and Vegetable Waste, and Increase School Lunch Participation<br>Behavioral: Control<br>* No intervention<br>|
| Experimental: School 3<br> | Behavioral: Variable (random) interval<br>* Using Variable (Random) Interval Reinforcement Schedules to Increase Fruit and Vegetable Intake, Reduce Fruit and Vegetable Waste, and Increase School Lunch Participation<br>Behavioral: Variable (random) interval with table tents<br>* Using Variable (Random) Interval Reinforcement Schedules and Table Tents with Health-related Messages to Increase Fruit and Vegetable Intake, Reduce Fruit and Vegetable Waste, and Increase School Lunch Participation<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in food waste | Daily fruit, vegetable, and other food waste (in lbs) | 24 weeks | 
| Change in fruit and vegetable intake | As measured by carotenoid level, a biomarker for total fruit and vegetable intake; measured before and after the intervention | 12 weeks | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| School lunch participation rates | Number of participants in the school lunch program | 32 weeks | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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fruit, vegetable, food waste