Are intervention effects on fruit and vegetable intake maintained after 48 months of follow-up? A randomised controlled community trial.
Maria Cecília Ramos de Carvalho, Mariana Souza Lopes, Patrícia Pinheiro de Freitas et al.
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In 30 seconds
This randomised controlled community trial assessed whether increases in fruit and vegetable (FV) intake after a 7-month transtheoretical model-based intervention were maintained among users of a Brazilian primary health care service who had positive intake changes at 12 months. At 36 months, fruit intake had decreased by 54.4 g/d and vegetable intake by 38.5 g/d; adjusted analyses found similar decreases in the intervention and usual-care groups. At 48 months, intake increases were also similar between groups, indicating that the intervention’s initial changes were not maintained.
Key findings
- At 36 months, fruit intake decreased by 54.4 g/d and vegetable intake by 38.5 g/d.
- Adjusted analyses found similar FV intake decreases in intervention and control participants at 36 months.
- At 48 months, fruit intake increased by 6.9 g/d and vegetable intake by 23.4 g/d; increases were similar between groups.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that early improvements in dietary intake after a community intervention may not persist over the long term. Evaluations of health-promotion programmes should therefore assess outcomes beyond the initial intervention period and consider whether continued support is needed to sustain behavioural changes.
What to keep in mind
The analysis included participants who had positive intake changes at 12 months, limiting its applicability to all trial participants.