A Brief Community-Based Nutrition Education Intervention Combined With Food Baskets Can Increase Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Low-Income Latinos

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the impact of an 8-week community-based nutrition education program combined with food baskets on fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC) among Latinos.

Design: Pre-post intervention study assessing perceived barriers, knowledge, food efficacy, food outcomes, and FVC, using mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative).

Setting: Participants' recruitment and data collection took place in the Seattle Metropolitan area from September 2012 to July 2013.

Participants: Participants' (n = 40) mean age was 37.8 (±10.5) years. Participants were mostly women, from Mexico, uninsured, low income, and overweight or obese.

Intervention: Nuestras Comidas was developed through the use of the Social Cognitive Theory and focused on increasing behavioral capability, food efficacy, food outcomes, and FVC.

Main outcome measure: Dependent variables were knowledge, perceived barriers, food efficacy, food outcomes, and FVC. Independent variable was the intervention (pre-post).

Statistical analyses: A McNemar exact test was computed for categorical variables and Wilcoxon signed-rank test and paired t test for continuous variables. Focus group data were analyzed by identifying common themes.

Results: Participation in the intervention was significantly associated with increased knowledge, food efficacy, and vegetable consumption.

Conclusions and implications: A brief nutrition education intervention combined with food baskets can improve healthy eating among Latinos.

Keywords: Latinos; Social Cognitive Theory; food baskets; food choice; fruits; nutrition education; vegetables.