The Rural Restaurant Healthy Options Program

University Of Iowa, Iowa City IA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The much publicized obesity epidemic has led researchers and public health professionals in search of affordable and effective community programs that will contribute to a more supportive environment for healthy eating and physical activity. The proposed project focuses on rural, locally-owned restaurants as a possible point of intervention. A review of existing restaurant-based programs intended to encourage healthy eating reveals that they are often too expensive and impractical for the typical owner-operated restaurants in the rural Midwest. In this pilot project, a low-cost, low-risk intervention will be implemented and evaluated over time in three rural restaurants. This pilot work will test the feasibility of program implementation and data collection methods, examine issues of program sustainability, and provide preliminary data on what customers want and what restaurant owners may be willing to change. Results will be used to inform the design of a much larger study involving rural restaurants. The specific aims are: 1. To determine the effects of the program over time and by season on customer perceptions of the restaurant as a place where healthy options are available. 2. To determine the effects of the program over time and by season on customer behavior, specifically, the number of requests for "healthy options" 3. To identify program implementation barriers and supports through process evaluation. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]