Habitual eating practices develop early in life, thus making childhood and adolescence an opportune time for implementing nutrition interventions. In addition, dietary behaviors have been found to track in individuals over time, so intervening in youth is cost effective, and can influence the development of chronic disease later in life. Research has demonstrated that behaviorally-based interventions can be effective in producing dietary behavior change among adolescents. The majority of interventions in this age group have occurred in schools, but other intervention sites have included after-school programs, summer camps, community centers, libraries and grocery stores. Public health interventions in particular have the potential to affect youth, especially when disseminated through channels that reach a majority of adolescents, such as schools or organizations such as Girl or Boy Scouts. Designing an effective nutrition education program for adolescents requires a systematic approach that combines knowledge of determinants of behavior with efficacious strategies and an evaluation plan. This session will review the state of the art in adolescent nutrition intervention and suggest new directions to strengthen effects including individual tailoring, social environment, policy, and dissemination.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to: (1) Articulate the rationale for focusing dietary interventions on young adolescents; (2) Identify at least three potential sites for future community-based adolescent nutrition interventions; (3) Describe at least three promising new directions for strengthening effects of dietary interventions with adolescents.
Keywords: Nutrition, Adolescents
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.