Health Education and Health Promotion

en Investigating the Effect of an Educational Intervention on Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and its Effect on Blood Lipid Levels in Government Employees: A Clustered Randomized Trial Aims: The consumption of fruits and vegetables has a protective effect on cardiovascular disease and its associated risk factors. The present study aimed to assess the effect of educational intervention on fruit and vegetable consumption, as well as its effect on blood lipid parameters, in government employees. Materials & Methods: This quasi-experimental cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted in two offices in Qaem Shahr. The data collection tool included a 31-item questionnaire on the frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption and a laboratory test to measure blood lipid parameters. The Chi-square test, t-test, paired sample t-test, and ANCOVA were used for data analysis. Findings: The study groups significantly differed in mean fruit and vegetable consumption after the six-month intervention (p<0.001). The mean total cholesterol (p<0.001) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C; p=0.005) levels were significantly different between the groups after the intervention. The mean difference of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol levels showed a significant relationship with the study groups and the interaction of gender and group (p<0.001). The mean difference of total cholesterol (p=0.008) and LDL-C had a significant relationship with the study groups (p=0.03). Conclusion: Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables is only effective in improving the levels of total cholesterol and LDL-C, but not in lowering triglyceride and HDL-C levels. Therefore, influencing factors, such as the duration of fruit and vegetable consumption, as well as the time required to monitor their effect on these parameters, should be more closely examined. Cardiovascular diseases,Fruits,Vegetables,Lipids, 365 371 http://hehp.modares.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-75782-1&slc_lang=en&sid=4 F. Khatty Dizabadi 1003194753284600299410 1003194753284600299410 No Department of Public Health, School of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran Z. Makvandi 1003194753284600299411 1003194753284600299411 No Department of Public Health, Asadabad School of Medical Sciences, Asadabad, Iran J. Yazdani Cherati 1003194753284600299412 1003194753284600299412 No â€œDepartment of Biostatistics, Faculty of Healthâ€ and â€œCentre Addiction Research Institutesâ€, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran F. Mostafavi 1003194753284600299413 1003194753284600299413 Yes Department of Health Education and Promotion, School of Health Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran