Hashemi B¹ (MSc), Omidvar N¹ * (PhD), Bondarianzadeh D² (PhD), Shakibazadeh E³ (PhD), Rashidkhani B¹ (PhD), Abbasian F¹ (MSc)

  ¹ Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology,

  Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

  ² National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute,

  Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

  ³ Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery,

  Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran

  Received: 23 Aug 2011, Accepted: 14 Apr 2012

  Abstract

  Introduction: Despite several health benefits of fruits and vegetables (F&V), intake of these food groups among most adolescent girls in the city of Tehran is less than recommended. Based on investigations, there is close association between parental beliefs and practices with children's F &V intake.

  Methods: A total of 283 adolescent girls and their parents, (136 as intervention group and 147 as controls) were participated in the study. Social Cognitive Theory provided the theoretical basis for the design of the intervention. The intervention included, three sessions of parents education through group discussion in which a booklet and three pamphlets were also distributed. Adolescents F&V intake by a 24- hour recall and a FFQ, fruit and vegetable availability, outcome expectation, preference, skill, knowledge, observational learning and self-efficacy were measured at baseline (before intervention) and at the end of study (after three months intervention).

  Results: F&V consumption significantly increased post-intervention in the intervention group
(from 6.25±4.62 to 7.22±4.6 servings/day pre- and post intervention, respectively. p= 0.02). No significant changes were observed in the control group. Among SCT constructs, only knowledge of the intervention group increased significantly (0.3±0.5 and 0.6±0.7 pre- and post intervention, respectively. p<0.001).

  Conclusion: The family-based interventions appear to be feasible and effective in increasing F&V consumption in adolescents.

  Key words: fruit & vegetable, Social Cognitive Theory, adolescent, parents

  Please cite this article as follows:

  Hashemi B, Omidvar N, Bondarianzadeh D, Shakibazadeh E, Rashidkhani B, Abbasian F. Effect of a Family-Based Intervention Based on Social-Cognitive Theory on Fruit and Vegetable Intake of Middle School Female Students in a District of Tehran. Hakim Research Journal 2012 15(1): 44- 52.

  * Corresponding Author: No 46, West Arghavan street, Shahid Farahzadi Blvd, Shahrake Ghods (Gharb), Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Community Nutrition Department. PO Box: 19395- 4741. Tel: +98- 912- 5330191,
Fax: +98- 21- 22360657, E-mail: omidvar.nasrin@gmail.com