| Summary: | This research examines the effect of a nutrition education intervention to change
attitudes and other factors associated with eating breakfast and consuming low-fat dairy
and whole-grains. Adolescents (n = 106) 11 to 15 years old were recruited from afterschool
programs in Los Angeles County, California. Participants in the treatment group
(n = 57) met once weekly for 60 minutes during seven weeks. The curriculum focused
on changing attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control toward eating
breakfast along with including low-fat dairy and whole grains. The first three lessons
focused on basic nutrition concepts. The later lessons focused on identifying barriers
and overcoming barriers, goal-setting, and identifying methods to stay motivated.
Questionnaires were administered at baseline and post-intervention. Data were analyzed
using SAS statistical analysis program (v. 9.2).
Eighty-eight percent of participants were Hispanic, 55% were girls, and mean
age was 12 years. One-hundred six adolescents completed the questionnaire at baseline
and 75 completed it at post-intervention. Cronbach alpha statistic for subjective norms
and attitudes toward eating breakfast, consuming low-fat dairy and whole-grains were
0.67 and higher for each dependant variable. Intention was significantly predicted by
attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control; however, as these models
do not differentiate change, additional models were run with interactions between group
(treatment versus control) and the change variables. Significant changes in perceived
behavioral control were observed among participants in the treatment group regarding
drinking skim milk, 1% milk, and 2% milk respectively (p < .05; p < .001; p < .001) and
attitude (p < .05). No change was observed in breakfast eating or consumption of wholegrains
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