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Effect of web‐based self‐reporting of dietary intake on college students’ self‐efficacy
Author(s) -
Leibowitz Joshua,
Cunningham Britni,
Dols Amanda,
Dumm Emily,
Eng Angelica,
Franke Kate,
Gross Alison,
Helinek Jonathan,
Indig Jonathan,
O'Connor Alexander,
Russell Timothy,
Sharma Aroon,
Sahyoun Nadine
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.344.8
Subject(s) - self efficacy , intervention (counseling) , significant difference , medicine , psychology , test (biology) , social psychology , biology , paleontology , psychiatry
The objective of the study was to determine the effect of an online diet‐tracking tool on college students’ self‐efficacy, specifically pertaining to their fruit and vegetable intake. A convenience sample of students was recruited and administered a self‐efficacy survey online before and after an 8 week intervention in which participants were asked to track their dietary intake online. Participants were assigned to a control group and 2 experimental groups. Experimental group 1 (n=41) had access to the website to track their intake without reminder emails and experimental group 2 (n=48) had access to the website with weekly reminder emails. A control group (n=62) was not given access to the intervention website. Within the control group, it was found that there was a significant decrease in the self‐efficacy of females (p= 0.020), but not for males (p= 0.069) However, within both experimental groups, the difference in pre‐ and post‐test self‐efficacy scores for females was not significant (p= 0.512). While the intervention did not show a general increase in participants’ self‐efficacy, it can be correlated with an increase in female self‐efficacy scores from a negative change to no change; therefore attenuating some of the observed sex differences. Research was supported by the Gemstone Program at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD