Educational Intervention on Promoting Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Students

NCT07124637 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: IR.AJUMS.REC.1402.106
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 205
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a multilevel blended educational intervention based on Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) can increase fruit and vegetable (F\&V) consumption among female students. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does an SCT-based educational program increase the daily amount of fruit and vegetable intake among adolescent girls?
• Does the intervention improve key cognitive-social constructs such as self-efficacy, self-regulation, knowledge, behavioral skills, and social support related to healthy eating? Researchers will compare students in the intervention group who receive seven 60-minute blended sessions (including face-to-face and WhatsApp-based education) tailored according to SCT constructs to a control group receiving no intervention. Participants will:
• Attend scheduled educational sessions covering nutrition knowledge, skill-building (e.g., meal preparation with F\&V), and behavior change strategies.
• Participate in activities designed to enhance self-efficacy, observational learning, and social support for healthy eating.
• Complete validated questionnaires assessing F\&V intake and SCT-related cognitive-social constructs before and two months after the intervention. This study evaluates whether integrating theory-driven, multilevel interventions in schools is effective in promoting healthier dietary habits among adolescent girls, especially in a resource-constrained setting.

Conditions

Promoting on Fruit and Vegetable Consumption

Keywords

Fruit; Vegetables; healthy nutrition; educational intervention; Social Cognitive Theory

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Daily Fruit and Vegetable (F&V) Consumption

  Daily fruit and vegetable consumption among female students in grades 7 to 9 was assessed using a validated dietary questionnaire. This researcher-developed instrument included 27 items across two sections-12 items for fruit and 15 items for vegetable intake-measured on a 6-point scale ranging from 0 ("Did not consume") to 5 ("5 servings per day"). Consumption was expressed as the average number of daily servings, with scores ranging from 0 to 5. Higher scores indicate greater F\&V intake, reflecting healthier dietary behavior.

  Baseline (pre-intervention) and 2 months post-intervention.

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Changes in Cognitive-Social Determinants Related to Fruit and Vegetable Consumption

  Before and two months after the intervention.

Study Arms (2)

Arm 1: Intervention Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Female students in grades 7-9 received a multilevel educational intervention based on Social Cognitive Theory to increase fruit and vegetable consumption. The program included seven 60-minute sessions that were delivered both face-to-face at schools and virtually via WhatsApp, focusing on enhancing constructs of Social Cognitive Theory. Parents received online training and supportive text messages. School staff cooperated to improve access to fruits and vegetables and displayed educational materials to reinforce behavior change.

Behavioral: Multicomponent Social Cognitive Theory-Based Educational Program to Increase Fruit and Vegetable consumption in Students

Arm 2: Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

Participants in this arm are female students in grades 7 to 9 who do not receive any educational intervention during the study period. They complete the same baseline and follow-up assessments as the intervention group but continue their usual activities without additional programs related to diet or nutrition. Intervention Details: No intervention provided Participate in data collection before and two months after the intervention period.

Interventions

Multicomponent Social Cognitive Theory-Based Educational Program to Increase Fruit and Vegetable consumption in Students BEHAVIORAL

This multilevel blended educational intervention applies Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) to increase fruit/vegetable (F/V) intake among female middle school students. The 8-week program includes: A) Student Components: * Seven 60-minute sessions (4 in-person, 3 WhatsApp-delivered) * Interactive activities: cooking demonstrations, goal-setting workshops, and educational games * SCT-focused content: self-efficacy building, outcome expectation modification B) Parental Engagement: * Weekly SMS nutrition tips * Two virtual workshops on creating F/V-supportive home environments * School Environment Modifications: * Cafeteria redesign to promote F/V accessibility * Peer-led 'Healthy Eating Ambassador' program Unique aspects distinguishing this intervention: * First SCT-based program specifically adapted for Iranian adolescent females * Dual delivery (in-person + digital) optimized for school settings * Simultaneously targets individual, social, and environmental determinants.

Arm 1: Intervention Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Free of nutrition-related diseases,
• Not following any special diets or weight loss programs,
• Provided informed consent to participate,
• Possess a smartphone compatible with the educational application,
• Residents of Seydun city,
• Not currently participating in similar educational programs.

You may not qualify if:

• Incomplete or invalid questionnaire responses (e.g., response time less than 7 minutes),
• Absence from more than one educational session,
• Voluntary withdrawal from the study.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences: lead

Study Sites (1)

Seydun Public Schools

Ahvāz, Khouzestan, 6133513347, Iran

Location

Study Officials

• Arash Salahshouri, Ph.D.

  Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Faculty member

Model Details: This study uses a parallel-group design, where participants are assigned to one of two groups: an intervention group or a control group. Each group was followed concurrently throughout the study period. The intervention group receives a multilevel blended educational program based on Social Cognitive Theory, while the control group does not receive this program. Outcomes related to fruit and vegetable consumption and cognitive-social constructs were measured and compared between groups at baseline and two months after the intervention. This design allows for direct comparison of the intervention's effectiveness against usual conditions without intervention.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 8, 2025
• First Posted: August 15, 2025
• Study Start: April 25, 2023
• Primary Completion: October 23, 2023
• Study Completion: May 12, 2024
• Last Updated: August 15, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-08

Locations

IR (1)