Fresh Produce Delivery to Middle School Youth: Outcomes of a Case Study in Providing Fresh Fruit and Vegetables to Underserved Youth.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate a weekly school-based fruit and vegetable delivery via a mobile market on urban middle schoolers' nutrition behaviors. DESIGN: One-group, pretest-posttest design, quasi-experimental intervention in middle schoolers (6th-8th graders, N = 158) in Kansas City, MO. INTERVENTION: Weekly delivery of free produce via a mobile market over 12 weeks. MEASURES: A self-administered survey to assess self-report consumption of fruits, vegetables, soda, and sports drinks. ANALYSIS: Univariate and bivariate analyses were used. Proportions were compared and chi-square tests were conducted to compare youth at baseline and 12 weeks. RESULTS: More youth reported consuming fresh fruit (73.8% to 83.3%; χ2 = 7.76, P = .005) and vegetables (66.4% to 71.3%; χ2 = 13.55, P = <.001) from baseline to follow-up. Less youth reported soda (49.0% to 52.8%; χ2= 6.33, P = .012) and sports drinks (41.8% to 38.2%; χ2= 12.32, P < .001) from baseline to follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: A mobile produce delivery intervention, like the Healthy Harvest Mobile Market, may be an effective strategy to increase fruit and vegetable consumption for adolescents.

Physical activity, balance, and bicycling in older adults.

Falls are a critical public health issue among older adults. One notable factor contributing to falls in older adults is a deterioration of the structures supporting balance and overall balance control. Preliminary evidence suggests older adults who ride a bicycle have better balance than those who do not. Cycling may be an effective intervention to prevent falls among older adults. This study aims to objectively measure the relationship between bicycling, physical activity, and balance for older adults. Older adult cyclists (n = 19) and non-cyclists (n = 27) were recruited to (1) complete a survey that assessed demographics; (2) wear an accelerometer for 3 weeks to objectively assess physical activity; and (3) complete balance-related tasks on force platforms. Mann-Whitney U-tests were performed to detect differences in balance and physical activity metrics between cyclists and non-cyclists. Cyclists were significantly more physically active than non-cyclists. Cyclists, compared to non-cyclists, exhibited differences in balance-related temporospatial metrics and long-range temporal correlations that suggest a more tightly regulated postural control strategy that may relate to higher stability. Cycling was observed to correlate more strongly with balance outcomes than other physical activity. Taken together, these results demonstrate the possible implications for cycling as an effective intervention to improve balance and reduce fall risk.

Changes to Physical Activity Levels in Adults Aged 50+ in the First Six Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The purpose of this study is to qualitatively explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults' PA nearly 6 months into the pandemic. Approximately 230 interviews were conducted with a diverse sample of participants (22.1% Black and 10.8% Hispanic). Data were transcribed in fall 2020 and analyzed using NVivo 12. Overall, most older adults (54.6%) interviewed reported no change in their PA, often reporting that their work kept them active. Decreases in PA for older adults (42.7%) were attributed to little social connectedness and stay-at-home restrictions. The few reporting an increase in PA (2.6%) had more time available to be active, including setting goals while staying home. This data provides an insight on how COVID-19 impacted PA levels for older adults. These findings can inform tailored interventions to promote PA during the pandemic.

Physical Activity and Nutrition Intervention for Middle Schoolers (Move More, Get More): Protocol for a Quasi-Experimental Study.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity and nutrition behaviors are important to reducing the prevalence of childhood obesity. Previous research has identified school-based interventions as effective strategies to improve physical activity and nutrition. However, the results are often mixed, and middle schoolers are an under-studied population. OBJECTIVE: Our study aims to fill this gap by developing an after-school intervention to increase physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption that is influenced by national guidelines and formative research. METHODS: This study was an after-school, quasi-experimental study spanning 9 months. Enrollment began in September 2021 and continued on a rolling basis through February 2022. Weekly, middle schoolers were offered 2-3 physical activity sessions and 1 produce kit. Physical activity was measured using accelerometers and questionnaires. Nutrition behaviors were assessed using questionnaires, and physical literacy was assessed using researcher observations. Follow-up data collection occurred in December 2021 and in April 2022. Difference scores will be calculated and analyzed for each outcome variable. RESULTS: The intervention started in September 2021 and will conclude in May 2022. Published study results are expected in late 2022. CONCLUSIONS: An increase in physical literacy, physical activity, and fruit and vegetable consumption is expected. If successful, future studies will focus on reach and sustainability. Lastly, this study may serve as a model for improving health outcomes in middle schools. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/37126.