Eating ample amounts of fruits and vegetables (F&V) is associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases such as many cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes. Cost-effective nutrition education approaches to help large and diverse segments of the population to eat more F&V are greatly needed. The worksite is a promising channel for such interventions. The proposed research will study the efficacy of innovative worksite interventions to improve F&V consumption of employees by building upon a successful pilot intervention - the Fresh Initiative. This pilot is a partnership with a private F&V distribution company, Brown University, the RI Department of Health and the Worksite Wellness Council of RI to regularly deliver low-cost, fresh F&V to the worksite. Twenty four worksites will be randomized to one of three experimental groups as discussed below. Employee F&V consumption will be measured at baseline, 6, 12 and 18 months. The primary Specific Aims of this proposed research are to employ a group randomized trial to study the efficacy of: 1 An intervention to deliver fresh F&V at reduced prices for purchase at worksites on increasing employees'F&V consumption (Access intervention A) compared to a Comparison (C) intervention (A vs. C.);2. Interventions to change the information and social environments at the worksite (B) combined with the F&V delivery intervention alone (A) on increasing employees'F&V consumption (Enhanced intervention) compared to a Comparison intervention. (A+B vs. C);3 The Enhanced intervention on increasing employees'F&V consumption compared to the Access intervention alone. (A+B vs. A). Secondary aims include: 1. To implement extensive implementation process evaluation to determine costs, reach, fidelity and dose;2. To use a mediating variable framework to examine relationships among important psychosocial factors/determinants with changes in F&V consumption;3. To compare changes in employee productivity from baseline to 6, 12, and 18 months by experimental condition;4. To compare the efficacy of the above interventions 6 months after the active intervention period ends (18 months after baseline);5. To compare the cost effectiveness of the Comparison, Access and Enhanced interventions related to change in F&V consumption.

Public Health Relevance

Eating more fruits and vegetables (F&V) is a major national dietary recommendation because it reduces risk for many cancers, cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. However, many Americans are not eating adequate F&V. The purpose of the proposed research is to conduct a randomized study with 24 worksites to compare the effectiveness of different interventions on improving employees'F&V consumption.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01CA133396-04
Application #
8230545
Study Section
Community-Level Health Promotion Study Section (CLHP)
Program Officer
Agurs-Collins, Tanya
Project Start
2009-05-07
Project End
2015-02-28
Budget Start
2012-03-01
Budget End
2013-02-28
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$708,966
Indirect Cost
$271,333
Name
Brown University
Department
Public Health & Prev Medicine
Type
Schools of Public Health
DUNS #
001785542
City
Providence
State
RI
Country
United States
Zip Code
02912