Biomarker evaluation of different types of Internet-based interactive computer-tailored nutrition education on fat consumption.

Computer-tailored health education has been found to be a promising intervention technique to improve a variety of health related behaviors, such as physical activity and dietary behaviors. To be able to improve efficacy, efficiency and applicability of computer-tailored interventions, more in-depth investigations are needed into the most effective delivery forms (print versus interactive), the feedback elements that contribute to efficacy, and whether intervention effects can also be demonstrated using biomarkers as an outcome measure.

The aim of the present study was three-fold:

1. to investigate whether provision of interactive computer-tailored information versus in print format differ in efficacy;
2. to identify the minimally required feedback elements of a computer-tailored intervention;

3. to evaluate the intervention effects using biomarkers as an outcome measure in addition to self-reported behavior.

These research questions were studied in relation to a computer-tailored intervention aimed at fat intake. Fat intake is an important behavioral risk factor and computer-tailored interventions have been found most effective in reducing fat intake. The study was conducted among healthy adults recruited from nine companies and two communities in the area of Rotterdam.

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The study contains 4 experimental conditions and 1 control group:

1. Computer-tailored personal feedback on fat consumption in print form;

2. Computer-tailored personal and normative feedback on fat consumption in print form;

3. Computer-tailored personal, normative and action feedback on fat consumption in print form;

4. Computer-tailored personal, normative and action feedback on fat consumption in web-based form (CD-ROM);

5. Generic information on fat consumption in print form (control group).




All the intervention materials were provided once.