Faith in Fat: A Multisite Examination of University Students' Perceptions of Fat in the Diet.

Despite recent relaxation of restrictions on dietary fat consumption in dietary guidelines, there remains a collective "fear of fat". This study examined college students' perceptions of health among foods with no fat relative to foods with different types of fats (unsaturated and saturated). Utilizing a multisite approach, this study collected data from college students at six university dining halls throughout the United States. Data were available on 533 students. Participants were 52% male and consisted largely of first-year students (43%). Across three meal types, the no-fat preparation option was chosen 73% of the time, the unsaturated fat option was selected 23% of the time, and the saturated fat option was chosen 4% of the time. Students chose the no-fat option for all meal types 44% of the time. Findings suggest that college students lack knowledge regarding the vital role played by the type and amount of fats within a healthy diet. Nutrition education and food system reforms are needed to help consumers understand that type of fat is more important than total amount of fat. Efforts across various sectors can encourage incorporating, rather than avoiding, fats within healthy dietary patterns.

Using Interactive Nutrition Modules to Increase Critical Thinking Skills in College Courses.

OBJECTIVE: To understand how the addition of an evidence-based framework to an online nutrition module influences college students' critical thinking decision making (CT-DM). DESIGN: Students were individually randomized into an intervention group or a control group. The nutrition modules focused on 2 topics related to different types of eating behavior. Students completed a CT-DM activity to generate a score. PARTICIPANTS: College students, between 18 and 24 years old, recruited from introductory nutrition and agriculture science courses at 2 universities. INTERVENTION: Intervention and control received 2 nutrition modules. The intervention added a CT-DM framework that framed the topic as a problem, incorporated activities, and provided scaffolding. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: CT-DM was scored using a validated rubric to assess the use of critical thinking skills when making a food-related decision. Green eating and critical thinking disposition were measured. ANALYSIS: Hierarchical linear regression and t tests were used to assess outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 431 students participated (intervention = 203; control = 228). After controlling for university, the intervention group scored significantly higher on CT-DM (18.1 ± 7.6) compared with the control (15.4 ± 8.4); F (3,428) = 14.58, P < .001. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The results show that an evidence-based framework using nutrition topics encourages CT-DM skills. Future higher-education nutrition interventions should use frameworks to enhance student learning.

Increasing Vegetable Intake by Emphasizing Tasty and Enjoyable Attributes: A Randomized Controlled Multisite Intervention for Taste-Focused Labeling.

Healthy food labels tout health benefits, yet most people prioritize tastiness in the moment of food choice. In a preregistered intervention, we tested whether taste-focused labels compared with health-focused labels increased vegetable intake at five university dining halls throughout the United States. Across 137,842 diner decisions, 185 days, and 24 vegetable types, taste-focused labels increased vegetable selection by 29% compared with health-focused labels and by 14% compared with basic labels. Vegetable consumption also increased. Supplementary studies further probed the mediators, moderators, and boundaries of these effects. Increased expectations of a positive taste experience mediated the effect of taste-focused labels on vegetable selection. Moderation tests revealed greater effects in settings that served tastier vegetable recipes. Taste-focused labels outperformed labels that merely contained positive words, fancy words, or lists of ingredients. Together, these studies show that emphasizing tasty and enjoyable attributes increases vegetable intake in real-world settings in which vegetables compete with less healthy options.

Delivery style moderates study habits in an online nutrition class.

OBJECTIVE: To report how the design of an online class affected student ability to stay on task, find critical resources, and communicate with the instructor via e-mail. METHODS: Audiorecorded focus group meetings at a United States university featured a structured approach to discussions among undergraduate students enrolled in an Internet nutrition class. Meeting transcripts were read and reread by a trained investigator, who coded concepts until themes coalesced, which were authenticated by college students taking online classes. RESULTS: Three themes emerged that described factors moderating study habits in an Internet nutrition course: keeping up, e-mail fatigue, and wayfinding. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: A well-designed online course plans for productive study habits by posting a schedule of events and maintaining a predictable pattern, supporting navigation that stimulates exploration and return visits to critical information, and constructing e-mail messages that convey a concise message and maximize "open and read."

Using a visual plate waste study to monitor menu performance.

Two visual plate waste studies were conducted in 1-week phases over a 1-year period in an acute care hospital. A total of 383 trays were evaluated in the first phase and 467 in the second. Food items were ranked for consumption from a low (1) to high (6) score, with a score of 4.0 set as the benchmark denoting a minimum level of acceptable consumption. In the first phase two entrees, four starches, all of the vegetables, sliced white bread, and skim milk scored below the benchmark. As a result six menu items were replaced and one was modified. In the second phase all entrees scored at or above 4.0, as did seven vegetables, and a dinner roll that replaced sliced white bread. Skim milk continued to score below the benchmark. A visual plate waste study assists in benchmarking performance, planning menu changes, and assessing effectiveness.