Skip to main content
American Journal of Public Health logoLink to American Journal of Public Health
. 1994 Jan;84(1):72–76. doi: 10.2105/ajph.84.1.72

"Eat for Health": a supermarket intervention for nutrition and cancer risk reduction.

A B Rodgers 1, L G Kessler 1, B Portnoy 1, A L Potosky 1, B Patterson 1, J Tenney 1, F E Thompson 1, S M Krebs-Smith 1, N Breen 1, O Mathews 1, et al.
PMCID: PMC1614911  PMID: 8279615

Abstract

OBJECTIVES. The results of an evaluation of "Eat for Health," a supermarket nutrition intervention, are presented. The study tested whether such a program could be successfully carried out and whether it could effect changes in knowledge, attitudes, and food purchasing behavior in line with nutrition and cancer risk reduction guidelines. METHODS. The evaluation consisted of an in-store monitoring element, an in-store and telephone consumer survey, and an analysis of sales data on selected foods. A matched-pair design, using a total of 40 stores in the intervention and comparison groups, was used. RESULTS. The intervention was successfully implemented and had limited success in changing some food purchasing behaviors. There appeared to be no effect on knowledge and attitudes except for increased awareness of a link between diet and cancer and of the program itself. CONCLUSIONS. Despite the intervention's success, limitations of the consumer survey and sales data analyses and the continuing diffusion of nutrition messages throughout society make it difficult to specify the impact of this program on consumer nutrition knowledge and behaviors.

Full text

PDF
72

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Block G., Hartman A. M., Dresser C. M., Carroll M. D., Gannon J., Gardner L. A data-based approach to diet questionnaire design and testing. Am J Epidemiol. 1986 Sep;124(3):453–469. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a114416. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Butrum R. R., Clifford C. K., Lanza E. NCI dietary guidelines: rationale. Am J Clin Nutr. 1988 Sep;48(3 Suppl):888–895. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/48.3.888. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Dougherty M. F., Wittsten A. B., Guarino M. A. Promoting low-fat foods in the supermarket using various methods, including videocassettes. J Am Diet Assoc. 1990 Aug;90(8):1106–1108. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Ernst N. D., Wu M., Frommer P., Katz E., Matthews O., Moskowitz J., Pinsky J. L., Pohl S., Schreiber G. B., Sondik E. Nutrition education at the point of purchase: the foods for health project evaluated. Prev Med. 1986 Jan;15(1):60–73. doi: 10.1016/0091-7435(86)90036-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Glanz K., Mullis R. M. Environmental interventions to promote healthy eating: a review of models, programs, and evidence. Health Educ Q. 1988 Winter;15(4):395–415. doi: 10.1177/109019818801500403. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Jeffery R. W., Pirie P. L., Rosenthal B. S., Gerber W. M., Murray D. M. Nutrition education in supermarkets: an unsuccessful attempt to influence knowledge and product sales. J Behav Med. 1982 Jun;5(2):189–200. doi: 10.1007/BF00844808. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Light L., Tenney J., Portnoy B., Kessler L., Rodgers A. B., Patterson B., Mathews O., Katz E., Blair J. E., Evans S. K. Eat for health: a nutrition and cancer control supermarket intervention. Public Health Rep. 1989 Sep-Oct;104(5):443–450. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Mayer J. A., Dubbert P. M., Elder J. P. Promoting nutrition at the point of choice: a review. Health Educ Q. 1989 Spring;16(1):31–43. doi: 10.1177/109019818901600106. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Mullis R. M., Pirie P. Lean meats make the grade--a collaborative nutrition intervention program. J Am Diet Assoc. 1988 Feb;88(2):191–195. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Warner-Robbins C. G., Christiana N. M. The spiritual needs of persons with AIDS. Fam Community Health. 1989 Aug;12(2):43–51. doi: 10.1097/00003727-198908000-00007. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from American Journal of Public Health are provided here courtesy of American Public Health Association

RESOURCES