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The PRO GREENS intervention in Finnish schoolchildren – the degree of implementation affects both mediators and the intake of fruits and vegetables

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 August 2014

Reetta Lehto
Affiliation:
Folkhälsan Research Center, Paasikivenkatu 4, Helsinki 00250, Finland
Suvi Määttä
Affiliation:
Folkhälsan Research Center, Paasikivenkatu 4, Helsinki 00250, Finland
Elviira Lehto
Affiliation:
Folkhälsan Research Center, Paasikivenkatu 4, Helsinki 00250, Finland Department of Public Health, Hjelt Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Carola Ray
Affiliation:
Folkhälsan Research Center, Paasikivenkatu 4, Helsinki 00250, Finland
Saskia te Velde
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Nanna Lien
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition, The Medical Faculty, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
Inga Thorsdottir
Affiliation:
Unit for Nutrition Research, Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
Agneta Yngve
Affiliation:
School of Hospitality, Culinary Arts and Meal Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
Eva Roos*
Affiliation:
Folkhälsan Research Center, Paasikivenkatu 4, Helsinki 00250, Finland Department of Public Health, Hjelt Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
*
* Corresponding author: E. Roos, fax +358 9 315 5102, email eva.roos@folkhalsan.fi
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Abstract

Little is known about the mediating effects of the determinants of fruit and vegetable (FV) intake in school-based interventions that promote FV intake, and few studies have examined the impact of the degree of implementation on the effects of an intervention. The present study examined whether the degree of implementation of an intervention had an effect on children's fruit or vegetable intake and determined possible mediators of this effect. The study is part of the European PRO GREENS intervention study which aimed to develop effective strategies to promote consumption of fruit and vegetables in schoolchildren across Europe. Data from 727 Finnish children aged 11 years were used. The baseline study was conducted in spring 2009 and the follow-up study 12 months later. The intervention was conducted during the school year 2009–2010. The effects were examined using multilevel mediation analyses. A high degree of implementation of the intervention had an effect on children's fruit intake. Knowledge of recommendations for FV intake and liking mediated the association between a high degree of implementation of the intervention and an increase in the frequency of fruit intake. Knowledge of recommendations for FV intake and bringing fruits to school as a snack mediated the association between a low degree of implementation of the intervention and an increase in the frequency of fruit intake. Overall, the model accounted for 34 % of the variance in the change in fruit intake frequency. Knowledge of recommendations acted as a mediator between the degree of implementation of the intervention and the change in vegetable intake frequency. In conclusion, the degree of implementation had an effect on fruit intake, and thus in future intervention studies the actual degree of implementation of interventions should be assessed when considering the effects of interventions.

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Full Papers
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2014 
Figure 0

Table 1 Components of the PRO GREENS intervention in Finland

Figure 1

Fig. 1 Conceptual model.

Figure 2

Table 2 Descriptive variables of children in the PRO GREENS intervention in Finland (Mean values and standard deviations; medians and interquartile ranges (IQR))

Figure 3

Table 3 Number and percentage of teachers who implemented different components of the PRO GREENS intervention in Finland in groups defined by the overall degree of implementation of the intervention

Figure 4

Table 4 Spearman's correlations between the degree of implementation of the intervention, changes in the determinants and changes in fruit and vegetable intake

Figure 5

Fig. 2 Coefficients representing the effects (and standard errors) of the degree of implementation of the intervention on the change in mediators and change in fruit intake adjusted for sex and baseline fruit intake in the multiple-mediator model (a, b and c′ paths) (n 708). The association was statistically significant: * P< 0·05, *** P< 0·001.

Figure 6

Table 5 Total indirect and specific indirect effects* of the degree of implementation of the intervention on the change in fruit and vegetable intake among 11-year-old children in the PRO GREENS intervention in Finland† (β-Coefficients, standard errors and 95 % confidence intervals, n 708)