Capitalizing on mobile technology to support healthy eating in ethnic minority college students

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the capacity of a mobile technology-based intervention to support healthy eating among ethnic minority female students.

Participants: Forty-three African American and Hispanic female students participated in a 3-week intervention between January and May 2013.

Methods: Participants photographed their meals using their smart phone camera and received motivational text messages 3 times a day. At baseline, postintervention, and 10 weeks after the intervention, participants reported on fruit, vegetable, and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. Participants were also weighed at baseline.

Results: Among participants with body mass index (BMI) ≥25, fruit and vegetable consumption increased with time (p < .01). Among participants with BMI <21, consumption of fruit decreased (p < .05), whereas the consumption of vegetables remained stable. No effects were found for sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.

Conclusion: Mobile technology-based interventions could facilitate healthy eating among female ethnic minority college students, particularly those with higher BMI.

Keywords: College; ethnicity; healthy eating; mobile technology; nutrition.