School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, and Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, University of Newcastle, Callaghan 2308, Australia.
Clinical Research Design and Statistics Support Unit, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights 2305, Australia.
Nutrients. 2019 Apr 23;11(4):905. doi: 10.3390/nu11040905.
Young adult university students are a priority population for nutrition intervention. This study assessed the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the EATS (Eating Advice to Students) brief (i.e., single use) web-based nutrition intervention for young adult university students. A 3-month pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted with 124 students aged 17-35 from the University of Newcastle, Australia. Participants were randomized to EATS ( = 62) or attention control ( = 62). EATS aimed to improve four target eating behaviors (vegetables, fruit, discretionary foods, breakfast). Primary outcomes were feasibility (recruitment, retention, usage, program acceptability). Recruitment and retention numbers were recorded, the program acceptability was assessed by a process evaluation survey and the website usage was objectively tracked. Preliminary efficacy was assessed via changes in diet quality (primary), fruit, vegetables, discretionary foods and breakfast intake, measured using Food Frequency Questionnaire. Recruitment was completed in five weeks. Retention was 73% (90/124) at 3-months. Intervention participants used EATS 1.5 ± 1.0 times. Satisfaction with EATS was rated at 4.04 ± 0.74 (maximum five). Intervention participants significantly decreased the percentage energy/day from discretionary foods compared with control (-4.8%, 95%CI -8.6, -1.1, = 0.012, = -0.34). No significant between-group differences were observed for diet quality, fruit, vegetable or breakfast intakes. EATS demonstrated high feasibility, particularly for reach and acceptability. The university setting and a brief web-based intervention show promise in engaging young adults to improve their eating behaviors.
青年大学生是营养干预的重点人群。本研究评估了 EATS（向学生提供饮食建议）简短（即单次使用）基于网络的营养干预措施在青年大学生中的可行性和初步效果。在澳大利亚纽卡斯尔大学，对 17-35 岁的 124 名学生进行了为期 3 个月的试点随机对照试验（RCT）。参与者被随机分配到 EATS（n=62）或对照组（n=62）。EATS 的目的是改善四项目标饮食行为（蔬菜、水果、随意性食物、早餐）。主要结果是可行性（招募、保留、使用、方案可接受性）。记录了招募和保留人数，通过过程评估调查评估了方案可接受性，客观跟踪了网站使用情况。初步效果通过饮食质量（主要）、水果、蔬菜、随意性食物和早餐摄入量的变化来评估，使用食物频率问卷进行测量。招募工作在五周内完成。三个月时的保留率为 73%（90/124）。干预参与者使用 EATS 的次数为 1.5±1.0 次。对 EATS 的满意度评分为 4.04±0.74（满分五分）。与对照组相比，干预组从随意性食物中获得的能量百分比每天减少 4.8%（95%CI-8.6，-1.1， = 0.012， = -0.34）。在饮食质量、水果、蔬菜或早餐摄入量方面，两组间没有观察到显著差异。EATS 具有较高的可行性，尤其是在可及性和可接受性方面。大学环境和简短的网络干预措施有望吸引年轻人改善他们的饮食习惯。
