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Feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the eating advice to students (EATS) brief web-based nutrition intervention for young adult university students: a pilot randomized controlled trial
In this 2019 study, a web-based nutritional intervention named the EATS (Eating Advice to Students) was tested for its feasibility and efficacy in a sample of young university students. One hundred and twenty-four students from the University of Newcastle, Australia were randomized to either the EATS or attention control condition. The aim of the EATS intervention was to enhance certain dietary behaviors involving breakfast, fruits, vegetables, and discretionary foods. Whatnall et al. measured the efficacy of the intervention by examining changes in diet quality and consumption of fruits, vegetables, discretionary foods, and breakfast. Recruitment was completed in 5 weeks, while retention rate was 73% at the 3-month mark. The intervention participants used EATS 1.5 ± 1.0 times and scored the intervention 4.04 ± 0.74 (out of 5) for satisfaction. As for the efficacy, there was a significant reduction in intake of discretionary foods by the intervention group, compared with the control, although no difference was found in terms of diet quality, fruit, vegetable or breakfast consumption. EATS appears to be highly feasible and has the potential to improve young college students’ dietary behaviors. [NPID: diet intervention, mental health, EATS, nutrition intervention, Australia, attention, attention control, diet quality, FV intake, fruits, vegetables, breakfast, college students, university students]
Year: 2019
