243419 Fruit and vegetable consumption changes in adults and children: Meta-analysis of a multi-site evaluation of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education in FFY10 and FFY11

Wednesday, November 2, 2011: 12:30 PM

Carolyn Kitzmann Rider, MA , Research & Evaluation Unit, Network for a Healthy California, California Department of Public Health, Sacramento, CA
Amanda Linares, MS , Research & Evaluation Unit, Network for a Healthy California, California Department of Public Health, Sacramento, CA
Jennifer Gregson, MPH, PhD , Research & Evaluation Unit, Network for a Healthy California, California Department of Public Health, Sacramento, CA
Sharon Sugerman, MS, RD , Research & Evaluation Unit, Network for a Healthy California, California Department of Public Health, Sacramento, CA
Andrew Fourney, DrPH , Formerly of Research & Evaluation Unit, Network for a Healthy California, California Department of Public Health, Sacramento, CA
Introduction The Network for a Healthy California (Network) conducts social marketing nutrition education campaigns through the United States Department of Agriculture's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). A major Network goal is to increase fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption. Local partners deliver interventions aimed at specific audiences, and are trained in evaluation capacity building to assess their own programs. Local programs have common evaluation components aggregated for a statewide evaluation of local intervention efforts. Methods Of 44 projects, 21 were selected for a meta-analysis because they used pre test-post test (n= 11) or quasi-experimental (n=10) evaluation designs and assessed either children in grades 4-8 and/or adults. Some evaluation components are standard for all programs, but other aspects are designed locally. The interventions included 1801 children and 777 adults; an additional 584 children and 170 adults served as controls. Interventions included five or more interactive encounters. Children received either Power Play! or Harvest of the Month interventions. Adult interventions were nearly always parent education. Results Among both youth and adults, changes (p<.001) from pre to post were observed for total FV consumption, fruit consumption, and vegetable consumption (FFY 10). Among youth controls, only fruit consumption increased; there were no changes in adult controls. Updated results and methods for FFY 11 will also be presented. Discussion The local SNAP-Ed programs deliver diverse interventions targeted to their specific audiences. Programs have capacity to conduct and evaluate educational programs that increase FV consumption and are an essential component of multi-level social marketing campaigns.

Learning Areas:
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice

Learning Objectives:
Demonstrate that diverse local programs have a collective impact on statewide fruit and vegetable consumption. Identify standard evaluation elements for multi-site evaluations. Explain how diverse interventions can be categorized for a meta-analysis.

Keywords: Dietary Assessment, Evaluation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to present because I oversee programs such as statewide evaluation of local nutrition education programs and statewide surveillance of health behaviors.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.