Cost effectiveness of three nutrition education delivery systems

A 3-month Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) project was carried out by the Extension Services of Vermont and Nevada to increase participation of food stamp families in EFNEP. Three different nutrition education delivery systems were developed, implemented, tested, and evaluated. The program resulted in: high response from food stamp participants; significant positive gains from pre-test to post-test status in nutrition knowledge, food practices, and nutrition behavior; a 95% participant response (indicating desire to continue receiving nutrition educational materials); and a high response from nutrition aides assisting the conduct of the program. The aides concluded that: telephone counseling was equally effective to in-home visits; that direct mail lessons provided an effective mechanism for teaching hard-to-reach clients; and that a Good Food-Good Times packet (coupled with television, direct mail, and telephone counseling) was successful for providing lessons in nutrition education. The nutrition education delivery system conducted by direct mail and television with no personal contacts by aides was judged the most cost effective.

Edited 2/20/15 SJC