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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #138809
Title: 5 A DAY ACHIEVEMENT BADGE FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN BOY SCOUTS: PILOT OUTCOME RESULTS

Author
item Baranowski, Thomas
item Baranowski, Janice
item Cullen, Karen
item DEMOOR, CARL - UT MD ANDERSON CANCER CTR
item RITTENBERRY, LA TROY - BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICIN
item HEBERT, DAVID - QUINTILES, INC
item JONES, LOVELL - UT MD ANDERSON CANCER CTR

Submitted to: Preventive Medicine
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2002
Publication Date: 3/1/2002
Citation: Baranowski,T., Baranowski,J., Cullen,K., Demoor,C., Rittenberry,L., Hebert,D., Jones,L. 2002. 5 a day Achievement Badge for African-American Boy Scouts: pilot outcome results. Preventive Medicine. 34(3):353-363.

Interpretive Summary: Boy Scouts are an important channel to complement school-based programs to enable boys to eat more fruit, 100% juice, and vegetables (FJV) for chronic disease prevention. The "5 a Day Achievement Badge" program was presented on a pilot study basis to African-American Boy Scout troops in Houston. Troops were the unit of recruitment and random assignment to treatment and control groups. The badge program was presented in Fall 1997 by trained dietitians and included activities to increase availability and accessibility of fruit and vegetables at scouts' homes, increase preferences for vegetables, and train in the preparation of FaSST (fast, simple, safe, and tasty) recipes. Weekly comic books demonstrated and reinforced what scouts were expected to do at home. A weekly newsletter with recipes was sent to parents. The program was revised and presented to the control group in Winter 1998. Two 24-h recalls were the primary assessment tools. Telephone interviews were conducted with parents. The intervention resulted in a 0.8 FJV serving difference (post values of treatment versus control groups with pre value covaried). The changes obtained suggest that the intervention was effective in promoting dietary change.

Technical Abstract: Boy Scouts are an important channel to complement school-based programs to enable boys to eat more fruit, 100% juice, and vegetables (FJV) for chronic disease prevention. The "5 a Day Achievement Badge" program was presented on a pilot study basis to African-American Boy Scout troops in Houston. Troops were the unit of recruitment and random assignment to treatment and control groups. The badge program was presented in Fall 1997 by trained dietitians and included activities to increase availability and accessibility of fruit and vegetables at scouts' homes, increase preferences for vegetables, and train in the preparation of FaSST (fast, simple, safe, and tasty) recipes. Weekly comic books demonstrated and reinforced what scouts were expected to do at home. A weekly newsletter with recipes was sent to parents. The program was revised and presented to the control group in Winter 1998. Two 24-h recalls were the primary assessment tools. Telephone interviews were conducted with parents. The intervention resulted in a 0.8 FJV serving difference (post values of treatment versus control groups with pre value covaried). The changes obtained suggest that the intervention was effective in promoting dietary change.