A computer-tailored dietary fat intake intervention for adolescents : results of a randomized controlled trial

Background: The positive effects of computer-tailored dietary fat intake interventions have been demonstrated in adults, but few studies have investigated the impact on adolescents. Purpose: The purpose is to evaluate the acceptability, feasibility and effectiveness of a computer tailored dietary fat intake education program for adolescents. Methods: A random sample of 10 schools, 5 with general and 5 with technical-vocational education programs, were selected to participate. In each of the 10 schools, 2 classes of 7th graders were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 153) or control (no-intervention, n = 151) condition. Students were exposed once in class to a 50-min theory-based computer-tailored dietary fat intake intervention. Questionnaires were completed 1 week before (food frequency questionnaire for dietary fat intake + psychosocial determinants) and 3 months after (process evaluation + food frequency questionnaire for dietary fat intake + psychosocial determinants) the intervention. Results: About one in three students evaluated the intervention as interesting (34%), novel (38%), personally relevant (26%), credible (34%), and correct (38%). Half of the students evaluated the intervention messages to be too long, and one fourth did not read the intervention messages. A decrease in dietary fat consumption was shown in girls enrolled in technical-vocational schools (F = 3.5, p <.05) and in boys and girls undertaking general education who reported to have read the intervention messages (F = 3.6, p<.05); however, no intervention effects were detected for the total sample. Conclusions: Further improvements to the intervention for use in adolescents should be evaluated. Given that a positive impact was shown in most adolescents and that a computer-tailored dietary fat intake education program has the capability of reaching large groups at low cost, this study shows that using such interventions in adolescents has potential.