Assessing the Effectiveness of a Self-Efficacy and MyPlate-Based Intervention on Nutrition Knowledge of Crunch Fitness Members

Abstract

Background: Nutrition-related chronic diseases represent a significant health and economic burden in the United States. Despite established dietary guidelines, a gap exists in translating nutrition knowledge into lifestyle choices, particularly among individuals engaged in regular exercise, necessitating targeted interventions to bridge this knowledge gap.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of the nutrition education intervention designed to increase nutrition knowledge in Crunch Fitness members.

Methods: A quasi-experimental design study and pre/post-intervention assessments were used to measure the effectiveness of two 60-minute intervention sessions based on enhancing self-efficacy through the Social Cognitive Theory, improving knowledge about MyPlate, food groups, and the drawbacks of short-term diets to Crunch Fitness members (n=12) voluntarily participating in the intervention. Participants underwent pre- and post- intervention surveys, with a follow-up survey one month later. Independent two-sample t tests were used to assess for significant changes in nutrition-related knowledge/skills and improvement in self-efficacy.

Results: The results reveal there was a significant difference in posttest scores when compared to the pretest scores of the knowledge section of the survey immediately following the intervention (p =.001) and at the one-month follow-up (p =.025). For the self-efficacy questions section of the survey, results reveal there was a significant difference in posttest scores when compared to pretest scores, (p =.002) immediately following the intervention, but not at the one-month follow up (p=.054).

Conclusion: In conclusion, the nutrition education intervention given at Crunch Fitness effectively increased participants' nutrition knowledge long-term, as evidenced by significant improvements in posttest survey scores one-month following the intervention