The Pawtucket Heart Health Program. Influencing adolescent eating patterns.

The Pawtucket Heart Health Program, a research effort testing a process of community activation for cardiovascular risk factor behavior change, risk factor change, and coronary heart disease event rate change, utilizes risk factor behavior change programs for the entire population of a northeastern city. A diversity of nutrition programs designed to teach new skills and to alter the nutrition environment have been delivered. These include group programs, highlighting restaurant menus, labeling grocery shelf items, screening for blood cholesterol levels accompanied by nutritional counseling, and provision of programs in schools. In addition to standard curricula, the Heart Healthy Cook-Off for both junior high school and high school students has been developed. Students select recipes, make substitutions to lower fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol content, analyze original and substitution recipe nutrient content using a microcomputer and nutrient analysis software, and prepare the food. A panel of judges assesses presentation, taste, and health-promoting characteristics. In one junior high school class, cholesterol measure before and after the cook-off decreased by 10.7% among those with elevated cholesterol. The Heart Healthy Cook-Off is an education program that influences the culinary practices of children in an enjoyable, challenging format.