Pilot evaluation of the HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) Food-O-Meter, a computer-tailored nutrition advice for adolescents : a study in six European cities

• Objective: investigating the feasibility and impact of the Food-O-Meter, an internet based computer-tailored nutrition intervention in adolescents.Design: participants in the intervention condition received the computer-tailored advice at baseline and at one month. Participants in the control condition received a generic standard advice. Effects were evaluated at one month (n=621) and at three months (n=558) using multi-level modelling.Setting: secondary schools in 6 European cities.Subjects: adolescents (12-17 year old) out of the 6 centres of the HELENA study, Vienna (Austria), Ghent (Belgium), Heraklion (Crete), Dortmund (Germany), Athens (Greece) and Stockholm (Sweden), were randomised into intervention and control schools.Results: after 1 month students receiving the standardised advice reported an increase in their fat intake while in the intervention condition, fat intake was stable (F=4.82, P<0;05). After 3 months,  there was in the total group  a trend for an intervention effect of the tailored advice on fat intake (F=2.80, p<0.10). In the overweight group there was a clear positive effect (F=5.76, p<0.05).For sugared soft drinks consumption both the standardised, and the tailored advice, resulted after 3 months in a decrease in the consumption of soft drinks, but the effect was slightly greater for the standardised advice (F=4.52, p<0.05). No effects were found for other foods and nutrients.Conclusions: this pilot study showed that in most study centres the implementation of a web based tailored intervention was feasible and well appreciated by the adolescents. The results were modest but clear for percent energy from fat, specifically in the overweight group.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

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Public health science

Folkhälsovetenskap

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