Date Available

11-13-2019

Year of Publication

2019

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nutrition and Food Systems (MSNFS)

College

Agriculture, Food and Environment

Department/School/Program

Dietetics and Human Nutrition

Advisor

Dr. Alison Gustafson

Abstract

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. This is problematic because social cohesion could be an unknown contributing factor in obesity among rural adolescents. The purpose of this study was 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. Additionally, to determine if social cohesion is an independent contributing factor to dietary intakes and weight outcomes among rural adolescents. It was found that the intervention had no effect on fruit and vegetable consumption and purchases and sugar sweetened beverage calories. However, the intervention did have a modest effect on the amount of times fast food was consumed per week.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2019.426

Funding Information

This research was supported by the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant.

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