Recorded presentation

Elizabeth A. Fries, PhD¹, Aleta Meyer, PhD², Marilyn Buzzard, EdD³, Samy Uguy, PhD¹, Viswanathan Ramakrishnan, PhD⁴, Steven Danish, PhD¹, and Tanya Taylor, BS¹. (1) Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, PO Box 842018, 808 W. Franklin Street, Richmond, VA 23284-2018, 804-828-1150, efries@vcu.edu, (2) Psychology and Pediatrics, Virginia Commonwealth University, 304 W. Cary Street, PO Box 842008, Richmond, VA 23284-2008, (3) Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, PO Box 980037, Richmond, VA 23298-0037, (4) Department of Biostatistics, Virginia Commonwealth University, P.O. Box 980032, Richmond, VA 23298u

Goals for Health was a National Cancer Institute funded school-based randomized trial designed to change the cancer-related behaviors of dietary fat, fiber and fruit and vegetable consumption in youth. The Goals for Health intervention was a health and life skills program taught by well trained high school peers to rural and minority sixth graders. Twenty-three rural schools in Virginia (15) and New York (8) participated. Two thousand one hundred and twenty sixth grade students participated at baseline. Sixth graders were surveyed in the classroom prior to and following (immediate, one year, and two years) the twelve session diet-focused intervention. Of the students at baseline (2120), 86%, (n= 1830) were present for the first follow-up, 67 % (n=1410) at the 1 year, and 47 % (n=999) at two year follow-up. Results included significant change for fat and fiber knowledge and diet-related self-efficacy, with intervention schools having higher knowledge and self-efficacy. No significant results (condition by time) were observed for fat, fiber, and fruit and vegetable food frequency scores. Several important effects of gender and race, and quality of implementation will be highlighted. These results suggest avenues for dietary cancer prevention interventions in high-risk, rural adolescents within the context of a life skills program.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the procedures and outcomes for the Goals for Health Trial.
• Understand how future interventions can be tailored based on Goals for Health Findings.

Keywords: Cancer Prevention, Adolescents

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.

Recorded presentation