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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a weekly school-based fruit and vegetable delivery via a mobile market on urban middle schoolers’ nutrition behaviors.

Design

One-group, pretest-posttest design, quasi-experimental intervention in middle schoolers (6th-8th graders, N = 158) in Kansas City, MO

Intervention

Weekly delivery of free produce via a mobile market over 12 weeks.

Measures

A self-administered survey to assess self-report consumption of fruits, vegetables, soda, and sports drinks.

Analysis

Univariate and bivariate analyses were used. Proportions were compared and chi-square tests were conducted to compare youth at baseline and 12 weeks.

Results

More youth reported consuming fresh fruit (73.8% to 83.3%; χ² = 7.76, P = .005) and vegetables (66.4% to 71.3%; χ² = 13.55, P = <.001) from baseline to follow-up. Less youth reported soda (49.0% to 52.8%; χ²= 6.33, P = .012) and sports drinks (41.8% to 38.2%; χ²= 12.32, P < .001) from baseline to follow-up.

Conclusions

A mobile produce delivery intervention, like the Healthy Harvest Mobile Market, may be an effective strategy to increase fruit and vegetable consumption for adolescents.

Keywords

adolescents nutrition fruit and vegetable consumption

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