Author: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Foods for Health Project Group

Publisher:

Published: 1983

Total Pages: 234

ISBN-13:

Abstract: The description and findings of a 1-year nutrition education project conducted cooperatively by the US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and by Giant Food are reported. The project was conducted to increase consumer awareness and knowledge about the relationships of nutrition to cardiovascular risk, and to provide practical ways for dietary improvement and cardiovascular disease prevention. The primary nutrition information vehicles were a bi-weekly brochure (the Eater's Almanac) of which over 2 million copies were distributed and shelf signs. Program evaluation was made via telephone surveys of shoppers, food purchase data from the computer-assisted checkout system in 20 supermarkets, and a completed questionnaire. A gain in correct scores was noted for questions on fat and cholesterol in foods and on the relationship between dietary fat and serum cholesterol levels; the scores appeared to be related to respondent characteristics of sex, education, age and having a family member on a special diet. Changes in overall food sales trends were similar in the 2 study areas (Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, MD). (wz).