National nutrition guidelines emphasize consumption of powerhouse fruits and vegetables (PFV), foods most strongly associated with reduced chronic disease risk; yet efforts to define PFV are lacking. This study developed and validated a classification scheme defining PFV as foods providing, on average, 10% or more daily value per 100 kcal of 17 qualifying nutrients. Of 47 foods studied, 41 satisfied the powerhouse criterion and were more nutrient-dense than were non-PFV, providing preliminary evidence of the validity of the classification scheme. The proposed classification scheme is offered as a tool for nutrition education and dietary guidance.

Objective: This study tested a CD-ROM intervention with and without a parent involvement component to reduce risk of alcohol use among an urban sample of early adolescents. Method: Youths (N = 514, mean age 11.5 years at recruitment) were assigned randomly by community site to receive the CD-ROM intervention, the CD-ROM plus parent intervention, or no intervention. All youths completed pretest, posttest and three annual follow-up measurements. After pretesting, youths and parents received their respective interventions. Results: Main effects of the intervention and for measurement occasion as well as interaction effects of the intervention by measurement occasion were seen for substance use and related outcomes. Over time, youths in all 3 groups reported increased use of alcohol, tobacco and marijuana; youths who received the interventions reported smaller increases than control youths. At 3-year follow-up, alcohol use was lower for CD-ROM plus parent intervention youths than for CD-ROM only youths, who, ...

Purpose.: To examine the efficacy of an intervention based on the transtheoretical model (TTM) for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption among economically disadvantaged African-American adolescents. Design.: Pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study. Setting.: Youth services agencies located in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Agencies were assigned to computer intervention (CIN) and nonintervention control study arms. Subjects.: A total of 507 African-American adolescents ages 11 to 14 years. Intervention.: Youths in the CIN arm completed four 30-minute intervention sessions tailored on TTM stages and processes of change. Measures.: Self-reported fruit and vegetable consumption and stages, pros, cons, and self-efficacy for consumption. Analysis.: Intervention effects were examined with analysis of covariance models that were controlled for demographic variables and baseline measures of each outcome. Chi-square analyses were used to examine between-arm differences in youths' stage progressions. Results.: After adjustment by covariates, pros (p < .025) and fruit and vegetable consumption (p < .001) varied significantly with study arm. Youths in the CIN arm had higher pro scores and fruit and vegetable consumption than controls. More youths in the CIN arm than in the control arm progressed to later stages and maintained recommended intake levels (p < .05). Conclusions.: A TTM-based intervention can increase fruit and vegetable intake and effect positive changes in TTM variables related to intake among economically disadvantaged African-American adolescents.

Purpose.: To examine the application of the transtheoretical model (TTM) to fruit and vegetable consumption among economically disadvantaged African-American adolescents. Methods.: Scales for measuring decisional balance, situational self-efficacy, and processes of change for fruit and vegetable consumption were developed and pretested with 57 economically disadvantaged African-American adolescents. The scales and measures for assessing stages of change, demographic variables, and fruit and vegetable consumption were administered to a separate sample of 262 participants. t-tests for independent samples and analysis of variance were used to examine differences in TTM variables and fruit and vegetable consumption across stages of change. Results.: Two-factor solutions for decisional balance and processes of change and a three-factor solution for situational self-efficacy provided the best fit to the data. Alpha coefficients of reliability for the scales ranged from .77 (experiential change processes) to .91 (pros). Participants in action-maintenance stages evidenced higher pros, self-efficacy, and fruit and vegetable consumption and significantly lower cons than did participants in precontemplation and contemplation-preparation stages. Also, participants in action-maintenance stages used processes of change more frequently than did those in precontemplation-contemplation-preparation stages. The use of experiential and behavioral processes within these stages did not differ significantly, as posited. Discussion.: Observed differences in TTM variables and fruit and vegetable consumption by stage of change in this sample of economically disadvantaged African-American adolescents were consistent with theory and previous applications of the model to fruit and vegetable consumption in adults. With replication studies, the TTM may be appropriate for designing interventions to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among this population.