Short-term nutrition intervention increases calcium intake among 45-54 year old women

The purpose of this study was to investigate selected factors related to calcium and change in calcium intake after an intervention among a self-selected sample of 45-54 year old women. The theoretical bases for the research were the Health Belief Model and the health locus of control. The pre-intervention study consisted of 167 women. A total of 152 (91% return rate) completed and returned useable post-test questionnaires. According to the multidimensional health locus of control results, this group had high scores for the internal locus of control. Similarly, the participants’ attitudes related to the Health Belief Model were highly positive. Prior to the intervention, participants had a mean calcium intake of 1, 423 mg/day that increased to 1, 614 mg/day after the intervention. Participants reported significant increase in frequency of exercise and a decrease in the consumption of caffeine-containing beverages after the intervention. Based on these findings, it is reasonable to conclude that the educational intervention was likely to have been responsible for changing some of the participants’ dietary and lifestyle behaviors.