NP15 Social Cohesion Interaction with Text Message Intervention Effect on Fast Food Frequency

Abstract

Objective Social cohesion among peers profoundly influences decision making during adolescence. Despite this, the current research is very limited concerning the association of social cohesion and intimacy among rural adolescent peers with dietary intake and weight outcomes. The purpose of this study is to investigate how social cohesion and intimacy among rural adolescents in Kentucky and North Carolina affects the outcomes of a text message intervention aimed at improving fruit, vegetable, fast food and sugar sweetened beverage intake. Description Eight schools participated (n = 4 were randomized as intervention schools and n = 4 were randomized as control schools). Adolescents were recruited to participate in the eight-week text messaging intervention (n = 277 intervention students and n = 134 delayed control students). Baseline and post-intervention surveys were completed by all participants to gather information about dietary intakes, social networking, anthropometrics, and demographics. Evaluation Food cohesion was defined as those with lots of friends (two or more listed for each of the three questions) who they share food and intimate details with, or low food cohesion, those with few friends (less than two listed for each of the three questions) who they share food or intimate details with. A log linear regression model was then used to determine the association between the dietary intake variables and food cohesion within the control and intervention groups and between the two groups. Conclusion and Implications There was a statistically significant decreases in the amount of fast food consumed per week among individuals in the intervention group with high levels of food cohesion compared to individuals in the control group with low levels of food cohesion -0.318 times per week (95% CI -0.71-0.051). A strong food cohesion among those in the intervention had a modest effect on the amount of times fast food was consumed per week. However, future interventions need to be tailored to target cohesion as a core construct before any conclusions can be made. Funding 2016-68001-24915.