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Abstract
The purpose was to improve fruit and vegetable intake in older adults participating in Title III congregate meal programs. Older adults in northeast Georgia completed the pre-test (n=54), nutrition education series, post-test (n=47), and sensory test (n=41). At baseline, 40% of participants reported inadequate income to spend on fruits and vegetables, and 15-20% reported other barriers, including taste and preparation difficulty. Intakes of several fruit and vegetable items improved after the intervention (p<0.05), including mean intakes of total fruit and vegetable items (from 22.8 + 1.5 to 25.2 + 2.0 servings/week) and total fruit items (from 9.0 + 0.9 to 10.9 + 1.3 servings/week). Additionally, more participants reported knowledge of the Five a Day recommendation. In conclusion, this intervention improved consumption of selected fruits and vegetables, identified barriers, and improved behaviors, attitudes, and knowledge related to fruit and vegetable intake. The curriculum is available for download at www.arches.uga.edu/~noahnet.