Effect of nutrition education on food and beverage choices of adolescent female dancers

<p>Lifestyle choices affect the risk of obesity and ill-health among youth. This study determined whether providing nutrition education to adolescent females enrolled in dance classes influenced their beverage and food choices. It was hypothesized that providing six 10-minute nutrition education sessions for three weeks to adolescent dancers would increase their healthy beverage and food choices. Sixteen girls (12-18 years), from two dance studios in Kingsport, Tennessee, completed this pre-test/post-test study. After nutrition education, soda consumption reduced by 7.7%; sugar sweetened beverages (excluding sodas) reduced by 23%; intakes of fruits and vegetables were enhanced by 5.6% and 21%, respectively. Paradoxically, home-cooked meals and breakfast consumption on dance practice days were reduced by 12.5% and 6.2%, respectively. Although some improvements in beverage and food choices were evident, these changes were not statistically significant due to the small sample size. The current study provides a framework for future studies on providing lifestyle education.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Health Sciences

Year dc:date.available

2017

Author dc:creator

• Williams, Marie Ann

Contributors dc:contributor

• Anahita Mistry, PhD, Chair
• Rubina Haque, PhD, RD

• adolescents
• beverage intake
• dietary intake
• nutrition education
• Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition

Repository record dc:identifier

https://commons.emich.edu/theses/750

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:commons.emich.edu:theses-2128