NCT02565706

Online WIC Nutrition Education to Promote Farmers' Market Fruit and Vegetable Purchases and Consumption

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 744 (actual)
• Sponsor: William Paterson University of New Jersey · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: —
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This study is evaluating the WIC Fresh Start program, a theory-driven, web-based nutrition education lesson to promote farmers' market fruit and vegetable purchases and consumption among women enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).

Detailed description

This study is evaluating the WIC Fresh Start program, a theory-driven, web-based nutrition education lesson to promote fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption among women enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). Designed to leverage vouchers provided to WIC participants for FV purchases through the Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) and monthly cash value vouchers (CVVs) redeemable at farmers' markets, the lesson is conceptually grounded in formative research on knowledge, attitudes and skills influencing farmers' market FV purchases and consumption and theoretical understanding of approaches for modifying them. Lesson content delivery is primarily through short video segments and audio output to increase accessibility for low-literate learners. Informed by a community-based participatory research approach, WIC participants are engaged as full partners in the development of the lesson and the delivery of content (videos feature WIC participants). The setting is a large WIC agency serving three New Jersey counties. Separate samples of women were recruited to participate in 1) focus groups for guiding lesson content development (N = 56 participants) and pretesting the resulting content (N = 52 participants), 2) cognitive testing to assess the clarity and interpretability of items and response formats in measures of knowledge, attitudes and skills developed for the study (N = 15), 3) one-on-one sessions to assess reactions to initial versions of video segments developed for the lesson (N = 20), and 4) the outcome evaluation (N = 744). Stratified based on FMNP voucher receipt, participants are randomized to receive the lesson or existing online health education. Outcome measures (administered orally to reduce literacy demands of the response task) are completed at pretest (immediately before the lesson), posttest (two weeks after the lesson), and 3 and 6 months after posttesting. Short- and long-term lesson effects on FV intake, FMNP voucher redemption and the redemption of CVVs at farmers' markets will be evaluated. Evidence for mediation by knowledge, attitudes, and skills of lesson effects on FV intake and voucher redemption, dose-response relationships, and user satisfaction with the lesson also will be examined.

Conditions

• Cardiovascular Diseases
• Cancer
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Obesity

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	WIC Fresh Start Program	The intervention is an online lesson to promote farmers' market FV purchases and consumption. The lesson comprises three modules, each consisting of 1) behavior change content presented through a video segment featuring WIC participants, and 2) an interactive activity to build targeted knowledge, attitudes, and skills.
BEHAVIORAL	Existing Online Health Education	Any of seven existing online WIC health education lessons (lessons are available on breastfeeding, being active, fruits and vegetables, calcium, cholesterol, oral health and iron). The lessons consist of an introductory segment presented with online text and graphics. After reading this material, viewers have the option to complete one of four lesson activities. The activities provide opportunities for viewers to read further on the topic and are designed to reinforce key points of the lesson.

Timeline

• Start date: 2014-07-01
• Primary completion: 2016-06-01
• Completion: 2016-06-01
• First posted: 2015-10-01
• Last updated: 2019-10-30
• Results posted: 2019-10-30

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States