Family environmental factors do not explain differences in the behavioral effect of a healthy diet promotion program in lower vocational schools among

In a paper in American Journal of Health Promotion, Martens et al assess whether family environmental factors affected changes in fruit and snack consumption among 12- to 14-year-old adolescents participating in a Dutch healthy diet promotion program. Data from an intervention study in 10 schools were analysed. The participants (students and one parent) were recruited from lower vocational schools in the southern and central parts of The Netherlands. The authors were able to get 502 matched student and parent questionnaires. The results indicated that there were no significant family environmental predictors of program-induced changes in either fruit or snack intakes aof adolescents. So despite the fact that family-environments are regarded as of crucial importance for child and adolescent nutrition behaviours, in this study no evidence was found that such family factors influence the effectiveness of a school-based healthful nutrition promotion program. The study suggests that there were subgroups of adolescents who profited less from the program because of family environmental factors.