The purpose of this study was to determine if the amount and variety of fruit and vegetable intake increased among community-dwelling older adults participating in Kentucky’s congregate meal site program following a series of educational nutrition lessons. A convenience sample (n=35) of community-dwelling older adults at two intervention (n=19) and two control (n=16) senior centers in central Kentucky participated in this quasi-experimental pre-post pilot study. Following the intervention there was a trend towards increased self-reported intake in the variety of fruit and vegetables among the intervention group (range:0.03±3.31 to 1.32±2.75 servings per week); a significant increase in the number of days participants incorporated at least 4.5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day intake; significant increases in the incorporation of fruits and vegetables in evening meal, and all meals (p≤0.05); and phytochemical knowledge (p≤0.05). Actual fruit and vegetable intake at the congregate meal increased post-intervention among the intervention group only (p≤0.05) as measured by plate waste. The mean Phytochemical Index score was 25.4, with participants consuming 79% of the phytochemical- rich component to their meal. These results indicate that theory-based educational nutrition lessons among older adults is linked to favorable trends towards increased fruit and vegetable consumption and phytochemical knowledge.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uky.edu/oai:uknowledge.uky.edu:foodsci_etds-1045 |
| Date | 01 January 2016 |
| Creators | Dickens, Emily |
| Publisher | UKnowledge |
| Source Sets | University of Kentucky |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Theses and Dissertations--Dietetics and Human Nutrition |
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