ABSTRACT

Healthy eating practices in the adolescents can prevent the development of obesity and other chronic diseases in the adulthood. The consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in Puerto Rican adolescents is low and might be contributing to the high prevalence of food-related chronic diseases, such as obesity in this group. The purpose of the study was to develop and apply interactive methods and strategies that help adolescents make healthy food choices. Over time, healthy food choices can delay or prevent food-related chronic diseases in the adulthood. Information from the focus groups helped to develop nutrition education materials that were age-culturally specific. Following nutrition education, the consumption of foods high in dietary fiber such as fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain cereals improved significantly in Puerto Rican adolescents. A modified socioecological model for dietary fiber-rich foods consumption in Puerto Rican adolescents, demonstrated that effective nutrition education strategies reduced the barriers to dietary fiber-rich foods consumption on the adolescents, their parents and the community promoting healthy eating choices of fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain cereals, to prevent food-related chronic diseases in the adulthood.

摘要

青少年的健康饮食习惯可以防止成年后肥胖和其他慢性疾病的发展。波多黎各青少年的水果、蔬菜和全谷物消费量较低，这可能是导致该群体肥胖等与食物相关的慢性疾病高发的原因。该研究的目的是开发和应用互动方法和策略，帮助青少年做出健康的食物选择。随着时间的推移，健康的食物选择可以延迟或预防成年期与食物有关的慢性疾病。来自焦点小组的信息有助于开发针对特定年龄文化的营养教育材料。进行营养教育后，食用富含膳食纤维的食物，如水果、蔬菜、波多黎各青少年的全麦谷物显着改善。波多黎各青少年富含膳食纤维食物消费的改良社会生态模型表明，有效的营养教育策略减少了青少年、他们的父母和社区对富含膳食纤维食物消费的障碍，促进健康的水果、蔬菜、和全麦谷物，以预防成年期与食物有关的慢性疾病。