Abstract
Telephone counseling is increasingly reported to be an effective behavior change strategy,
but more studies in broader populations are needed. This uncontrolled pilot trial
investigated whether a 3-month/eight-call telephone counseling intervention could
promote dietary changes associated with reduced chronic disease risk in adults consuming
<5.0 servings of vegetables and fruits daily. Between 2002 and 2004, 97 adults (mean
age 46 years; range 21 to 84 years) completed the intervention and a follow-up assessment
at 6 months. Approximately half were of nonwhite ethnicity (53%). The majority were
women (95%) and had never had cancer (89%). The intervention promoted daily intakes
of three to five vegetable servings, two to four fruit servings, and three whole-grain
and/or beans/legumes servings. Average total daily intake of vegetables, fruits, whole
grains, beans/legumes, fiber, and fat were assessed at baseline and at 6 months, each
by a set of three 24-hour recalls. Plasma carotenoids were measured on a subsample
(n=41) as an objective biomarker of vegetable and fruit intake. Change in mean self-reported
dietary intake (ie, vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans/legumes, fiber, and fat)
and plasma carotenoids were compared by paired t tests. The intervention was associated with a significant (P<0.001) increase in vegetable servings per day (baseline 2.1 servings per day, 6 months
3.5 servings per day; 67% increase), fruit servings per day (baseline 1.4 servings
per day, 6 months 2.4 servings per day; 71% increase), and whole-grain and/or bean
servings per day (baseline 1.0 serving per day, 6 months 1.4 servings per day; 40%
increase). These changes were corroborated by a significant (P<0.001) increase in total plasma carotenoids. This 3-month/eight-call telephone counseling
intervention was associated with dietary change in healthy adults consuming fewer
than five servings per day of vegetables and fruit at study entry.
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Biography
V. A. Newman is an associate clinical professor and J. P. Pierce is a professor, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Cancer Prevention and Control Program; S. W. Flatt is a data management coordinator and senior statistician, Cancer Prevention and Control Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla.
Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
January 18,
2008
Identification
Copyright
© 2008 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
