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Improving Nutrition Education Newsletters for the Food Stamp Eligible Audience

Department of Human Health and Development at Montana State University in Bozeman, harmon{at}montana.edu

Brian J. Grim, PhD

Survey Research Center and Population Research Institute at Pennsylvania State University in University Park

Judy C. Gromis, MS, RD

Pennsylvania Nutrition Education Program in the College of Health and Human Development at Pennsylvania State University in University Park

The purpose of this study was to identify the types of nutrition newsletter content that reading clientele perceive as relevant to them in making healthy food choices consistent with sound dietary advice, and to identify ways newsletter design and wording affect the usefulness of the content. The authors conducted five focus groups with readers of nutrition education newsletters in three different regions of Pennsylvania between January and April 2003. All participants were obtaining food from their community food pantry, where newsletters are distributed by the Pennsylvania Nutrition Education Program. Major nutrition and health concerns of participants included heart disease, diabetes, dietary fat, and sodium intake. Recipes are the most highly valued portion of the newsletters. To summarize, newsletter readers indicate that effectiveness in facilitating food and nutrition behavior change is a function of the relevance, design, and practicality of the content.

Key Words: newsletters • food stamp eligible • focus groups • nutrition education

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This version was published on October 1, 2007

Health Promotion Practice, Vol. 8, No. 4, 394-402 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1524839907304942


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This Article Abstract Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Harmon, A. H. Articles by Gromis, J. C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Harmon, A. H. Articles by Gromis, J. C. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?