Related Experiment Videos
Improving dietary behavior: the effectiveness of tailored messages in primary care settings
M K Campbell1, B M DeVellis, V J Strecher
1Department of Health Behavior, Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599-7400.
Objectives:
To achieve the Healthy People 2000 objectives, public health professionals must develop effective dietary interventions that address psychosocial and behavioral components of change. This study tested the effect of individually computer-tailored messages designed to decrease fat intake and increase fruit and vegetable intake.
Methods:
Adult patients from four North Carolina family practices were surveyed at baseline and then randomly assigned to one of two interventions or to a control group. The first intervention consisted of individually computer-tailored nutrition messages; the second consisted of nontailored nutrition information based on the 1990 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Patients were resurveyed 4 months postintervention.
Results:
The tailored intervention produced significant decreases in total fat and saturated fat scores compared with those of the control group (P < .05). Total fat was decreased in the tailored group by 23%, in the nontailored group by 9%, and in the control group by 3%. Fruit and vegetable consumption did not increase in any study group. Seventy-three percent of the tailored intervention group recalled receiving a message, compared with 33% of the nontailored intervention group.
Conclusions:
Tailored nutrition messages are effective in promoting dietary fat reduction for disease prevention.