Impact of Red Apple Healthy Lifestyles Programme on healthy eating behaviour of low socio-economic participants in rural and regional communities in Australia

Abstract

The central focus of the Red Apple Healthy Lifestyles Programme (RAHLP) was the delivery of practical activities on healthy eating, cooking, promoting sustainable changes in health and shopping behaviours among low socio-economic families and young people in the rural communities. The study aimed to answer the following question: how do the activities offered by the RAHLP (1) increase the knowledge and skills of participants to better adopt healthy eating behaviours, and (2) increase parents' ability to establish healthy eating behaviours in their children? The study also aimed to identify any barriers to the adoption of healthy eating choices. Convenience sampling was utilised to access a cross-sectional sample of approximately 200 participants and finally a total of 176 people participated in the programme. After participation in the programme, the highest proportion of participants indicated that they are able to identify healthy foods to eat. Eating breakfast insignificantly increased from 69% before the participation to 75% after their participation in the programme, and continued to increase by 86% in 3 months. Confidence levels of participants have been sustained after the 3-month survey with further increases in relation to children's healthy lunchboxes (increasing from 57% to 80%), and understanding suitable food for babies (from 50% to 70%). The stated benefits of the programme by participants are improved knowledge and lifestyle skills, the adoption of healthy eating behaviours, increased parent ability to establish healthy eating patterns among children, and increased self-reliance in relation to aspects of healthy food choices.