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Cancer Control Research

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): New approaches are needed to help college students develop lifelong health behaviors to decrease their risk of cancer. College students use the Internet more than any other population in the U.S., making interactive web technology a promising source for delivering health education to this target group. The purpose of this Phase II project is to produce and evaluate an interactive web-based 5 A Day nutrition and physical activity program for college-aged students and to provide resource tools for student health professionals. The 5 A Day on Campus web program will be integrated with the web programs offered by university Student Health Services to motivate exceptional dietary and physical activity behavior. Klein Buendel, Inc. (KB) will design and produce the program based on the evaluation of prototypes authored in Phase I. The specific aims are to: produce a web-based nutrition education program with health promotion training, nutrition education resources and interactive features for college health professionals and online dietary assessments, 5 A Day nutrition education modules, and interactive features for college students; and recruit 700+ students on four university campuses to participate in a randomized controlled pretest/posttest trial to evaluate the effectiveness of the program at increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables and increasing physical activity. This study will evaluate the ability of the online program to increase users' knowledge of, favorable attitudes towards, and perceived norms regarding eating more fruits and vegetables and participating in enhanced levels of physical activity. The trial will assess whether the program had a positive impact on users' consumption of fruits and vegetables and participation in physical activity. The trial will be led by KB in partnership with University of Arizona, Colorado State University, University of Colorado, San Diego State University, The Produce for Better Health Foundation and the Bacchus & Gamma Peer Education Network. 5 A Day on Campus will build upon the program design of KB's 5 A Day at Work web-based workplace nutrition program. New programs are needed to help college students develop health behaviors which will lower their risk of developing diseases such as cancer and heart disease later in life. 5 A Day on Campus will be integrated with web programs offered by university Student Health Services to motivate exceptional dietary and physical activity behavior during the transition from home to college. The web-based program will include a) online assessments, nutrition education and physical activity modules, localized resources, goal-setting and behavior change guidance, and interactive tools and features for college students, particularly freshman; b) online nutrition and physical activity education resources and interactive communication features for university student health professionals.