Food Habits, Health Behavior, Lifestyle Risk Reduction
Conditions
Brief summary
Food literacy (FL) is the capability to make healthy food choices in different contexts, settings and situations. Although eating habits are shaped by different circumstances and skills, most nutrition programs focus on nutrition knowledge alone. Addressing factors such as competencies, self-efficacy and social norms enables sustainable positive change in nutrition behaviour. This study will assess a lay leader-led FL workshop to Arab and Jewish women from disadvantaged communities in the Jerusalem region, utilizing a train-the-trainer approach, and will compare the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a lay-led FL intervention to an expert-led intervention.
Detailed description
Food literacy (FL) is the capability to make healthy food choices in different contexts, settings and situations. Although eating habits are shaped by different circumstances and skills, most nutrition programs focus on nutrition knowledge alone. Addressing factors such as competencies, self-efficacy and social norms enables sustainable positive change in nutrition behaviour. This study will assess a lay leader-led FL workshop to Arab and Jewish women from disadvantaged communities in the Jerusalem region, utilizing a train-the-trainer approach, and will compare the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a manualized FL intervention given by trained lay-leaders vs. the same workshop given by experts.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALLay-led FL workshops
Groups of women recruited by trained lay-leaders will receive an 8-session lay-led FL workshop. Workshop participants will receive a self-report baseline survey at the first session, and post surveys at the last session and 3 months after the last session. The surveys will be anonymous and will be conducted and collected by the lay workshop facilitator. Lay-leaders will receive an incentive to collect surveys from workshop participants. A member of the research staff will be present at the time of the survey collection to ensure data are collected according to protocol. Monthly phone calls with lay-leaders will take place to ensure implementation in the community, including problem solving and help maintaining motivation. To help ensure implementation in the lay-led arm, lay leaders will be required to complete one workshop in the community before receiving a graduation certificate.
BEHAVIORALExpert-led workshops
Matching groups of women recruited by research staff will receive the same 8-session expert-led FL workshop. Workshop participants will receive a self-report baseline survey at the first session, and post surveys at the last session and 3 months after the last session. The surveys will be anonymous and will be conducted and collected by the expert workshop facilitator.
Sponsors
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hadassah Medical Organization
Study design
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
This is a quasi-experimental study with two arms
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
25 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Hebrew or Arabic literate women who are over 25 years old
Exclusion criteria
* Women who do not meet inclusion criteria.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in the effectiveness in raising FL level of a FL workshop given by trained lay leaders vs. experts | At baseline, last workshop session- up to five weeks since baseline, and three months after intervention | Level of food literacy will be assessed by using a the validated Modified Self-Perceived Food Literacy Scale (M-SPFL) , including 23 questions, mean score ranging between 1-5, the higher the score the higher the food literacy level. |
| Cost-effectiveness ratio of a FL workshop led by trained lay leaders vs. experts | After 16 workshops in each arm are implemented. Approximately one year after the beginning of the study. | Cost-effectiveness analysis will compare the two alternatives by calculating the incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio (ICER). The Markov chain model will be used to predict short and long-term costs and effectiveness in both arms. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Mediterranean Diet adherence | At baseline, last workshop session- up to five weeks since baseline, and three months after intervention | Level of adherence to the Mediterranean Diet will be assessed by the Israeli Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (I-MEDAS) self-report validated scale. The scale includes 17 items, score ranging between 1-17, the higher the score the higher the food literacy level. |
Contacts
Primary ContactDonna R Zwas, MD, MPH
Backup ContactKeren L Greenberg, MPH
Outcome results
None listed