Semester
Fall
Date of Graduation
2009
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Type
PhD
College
College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences
Department
Sport and Exercise Psychology
Committee Chair
Samuel Zizzi.
Abstract
Only recently have practitioners and researchers targeted the population of college students in studying interventions aimed at increasing health behaviors. There is evidence that a proportion of college students are making attempts on their own to remedy weight gain and poor physical fitness with little or no guidance, which is reflected in consistently rising obesity rates in this population. Thus, the need for organized and effective interventions is illustrated. The impact of an intervention can be determined through evaluation research. Although the RE-AIM model has not yet been used to evaluate single-site, university-sponsored, college-student weight-loss/fitness programs, it provided a useful model to guide the evaluation of an 8-week nutrition education and fitness program with a contest component among college students ( n = 93) via both quantitative and qualitative methods. The effectiveness outcome variables were body fat, resting heart rate, and nutrition knowledge. Results indicated that program reach, effectiveness, and 19-week maintenance were low, with moderate implementation on the individual level and high implementation on the organizational level. However, such programs often suffer from diminished effectiveness when delivered in the real world, as evident in the present study. Suggestions for using the RE-AIM framework to guide similar research and for practice are included.
Recommended Citation
Bartlett, Michelle L., "The evaluation of a nutrition education and fitness program with a contest component among college students using the RE-AIM framework" (2009). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 2875.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/2875