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

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.