Interventions
MSB-Nutrition19 is an interactive, Internet-based program
designed to provide nutrition and physical fitness education
to college students. MSB-Nutrition comprises 4 RateMyself
assessments (to provide individual feedback to the user), 3
information links (Ask the Expert, Student Voices, College
News), and 4 main learning modules (Nutrition 101, Eating
on the Run, Weighing In, Fitness). Participants assigned to
the online course were instructed to visit the MSB-Nutrition
(via a link on a secured Web server) for at least 2 hours per
week over a 12-week period. Course participants were asked
to complete, print out, and turn in each of the 4 Rate Myself
Assessments by the end of the course. Additionally, each
participant was required to complete a checklist indicating
that she/he had visited and completed each section of the
MSB-Nutrition learning modules (see Figure 1). Participants
in the MSB-Nutrition course logged into the MSB-Nutrition
Web site an average of 29.84 times (SD = 12.44) over the
12-week period.
Participants assigned to the on-campus course met once a
week for approximately 2 hours for 12 weeks. The course
was taught by a full-time faculty member in health education
and health promotion at the university. The course addressed
issues in weight management, including stress, basic nutrition
and exercise principles, weight-related diseases, eating
behaviors, time management, and overall wellness. Students
attended weekly lectures and completed reflection papers regarding
course discussions and activities as well as midterm
and final examinations. Students in both the MSB-Nutrition
course and the on-campus course received course credit.