Date of Award:

8-2018

Document Type:

Dissertation

Degree Name:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department:

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences

Department name when degree awarded

Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Science

Committee Chair(s)

Heidi J. Wengreen (Committee Chair)

Committee

Heidi J. Wengreen

Committee

Carrie M. Durward

Committee

Martha Archuleta

Committee

Gregory J. Madden

Committee

Julie A. Gast

Abstract

Researchers in the Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Science department and Psychology department sought to improve healthy behaviors in elementary schools such as fruit and vegetable consumption (FV) and daily physical activity (PA). We chose to use a healthy behavior program called the “FIT Game” that has successfully increased FV consumption among elementary-aged children over short periods of time. Our aim was to improve the program by lowering operating costs, adjusting its materials to target PA and see if it could maintain healthy eating improvements over a longer period of time. Our series of research shows encouraging results: short term improvements in healthy eating using the low-cost FIT Game; improvements in PA; and maintained improvements in FV consumption over longer durations.

Improving healthy behaviors such as FV consumption and daily PA are important goals that can improve future health. Using the FIT Game intervention represents a low-cost and sustainable way to work toward these goals.

Checksum

9ec2af3c7fd44e3c99d11d1c6005af71

Included in

Nutrition Commons

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