Fruit and Vegetable Intake Among Rural Youth Following a School-based Randomized Controlled Trial

The investigators implemented a theory-based randomized controlled trial in ten rural Virginia middle schools in 2008-2010 and assessed the impact on health behaviors including fruit/vegetable intake as a primary outcome. Schools were randomized to intervention or control groups. Goal setting, peer leaders, and in-class workshops were intervention features. Seventh graders filled out surveys on health behaviors, psycho-social variables, and demographic characteristics. The investigators expected schools receiving the intervention to report a higher fruit-vegetable intake compared to control schools where students received standard health information. Sample (n=1,119) was 48.5% female, 50% White, with a mean age of 12.6 years. Fruit/vegetable intake was significantly higher in intervention schools at immediate post and at 1-year follow-up compared to controls.