Document Type

Student Research Paper

Date

Spring 2021

Academic Department

Occupational Therapy

Faculty Advisor(s)

Dr. Erica Wentzel

Abstract

Purpose: There has been increasing concern about the level of health and food literacy among Black adolescents. Food literacy and nutrition interventions have been studied in an effort to improve health outcomes among this population. This study aimed to explore which interventions found success in increasing fruit and vegetable (FV) intake which included culturally relevant education material. Method: Five databases were searched using terms related to racial ethnicity, diet and age. Thirteen articles met inclusion criteria of including majority minority participants and the majority citing community based interventions focusing on dietary change including FV intake. Results: This scoping review revealed three studies with statistically significant differences in FV consumption, none of which involved primarily adolescent participants. One study was culturally sensitive with three others involving input from community members, organizations or services in the intervention implementation. Conclusions: The culturally sensitive intervention showed promising results, as did interventions utilizing community input. Future interventions should include culturally relevant programs which collaborate with the local community for implementation. Community-based nutrition education interventions for Black American adolescents are scarce. The majority of programs are designed for adults or children, with few geared towards adolescents. Although the majority of education interventions are community based, few involve culturally relevant information designed for specific communities. More research is needed to understand how culturally relevant and/or community informed interventions can benefit adolescent Black Americans.

Notes

Honors Senior Thesis; Honors in the Discipline; OT 494 Undergraduate Scholarship Practicum II

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