Adolescents improve healthy‐eating outcome expectancy: Impact of the Baltimore Healthy Eating Zones study

The Baltimore Healthy Eating Zones (BHEZ) study was designed to address the rising prevalence of childhood obesity in low‐income communities in Baltimore City. During the 9‐month intervention, various food‐related activities and materials including taste tests, cooking demonstrations, giveaways, shelf labels, and point‐of‐purchase posters and flyers were introduced in recreation centers and local corner stores to improve food‐related psychosocial indicators and the overall food environment in low income areas of Baltimore. The study was evaluated in 242 African‐American youths aged 10 to 14 and their caregivers recruited from 14 local recreation centers (7 control + 7 intervention). The impact of the intervention on psychosocial indicators was assessed using a survey informed by Social Cognitive Theory, and analyzed through the t‐test in SPSS. When comparing pre‐ and post‐intervention data, we found that youths in intervention zones significantly improved their healthy‐eating outcome‐expectancy scores (p=0.027, Cronbach's α=0.69) compared to those who are in control zones (p=0.953). No significant improvement was observed for healthy‐eating self‐efficacy (p=0.503 for intervention, p=0.472 for control, Cronbach's α=0.60). These preliminary findings show that the intervention was successful in improving certain psychosocial factors among adolescents. Funding: Robert Wood Johnson: 63149. Grant Funding Source : The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation