Date of Award
2014
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Nutrition and Food Science
Department
Nutrition and Food Sciences
First Advisor
Geoffrey Greene
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the mobile application, LaLa Lunchbox, on improving the dietary quality of lunches brought from home.
Design: Quasi-experimental design.
Setting: Middle school in East, Greenwich, RI.
Participants: 25 students in the 6th grade who were predominately white (72%) females (76%) with an average age of 11.2 years.
Intervention: For 4 weeks, LaLa Lunchbox app was used to create virtual lunchbox for each school day of the following week.
Main Outcome Measure: Lunch Quality Index (LQI) scores calculated based on the presence or absence of fruit, vegetables, protein, or empty calorie snack with a maximum score of 4 points based on four lunch observations at baseline, week 2 and 4 of intervention, and 1 week follow-up.
Analysis: A repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) measured the LQI score over time between the 2 groups.
Results: Although there were no differences between groups, there was an effect of time on LQI score (p < .05). Overall fruit (67.4%) and protein (80.4%) were included in most lunches but a high calorie snack was also frequently included (52.2%) and vegetables rarely included (21.7%).
Conclusions and Implications: The mobile application, LaLa Lunchbox was not effective in improving dietary quality as a stand-alone intervention, but could be useful as a tool in combination with nutrition education focusing on increasing vegetables and reducing empty calorie snacks.
Recommended Citation
Pryor, Christina, "THE EFFECT OF AN IPAD APPLICATION ON THE QUALITY OF LUNCHES BROUGHT FROM HOME BY MIDDLE SCHOOL CHILDREN" (2014). Open Access Master's Theses. Paper 331.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/theses/331
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