The Study
Changes in diet and physical activity resulting from the Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities randomized cardiovascular disease risk reduction multilevel intervention trial
This study is like a fair test where two groups of women tried different ways to eat better and move more. One group got extra classes and support, and the other got just a few talks. The test showed that the group with extra classes ate more veggies — so we can say the classes probably helped with that. But when we measured how much they actually moved with special watches, there was no big difference.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Women in rural towns got either weekly classes on eating healthy and walking, or just a few talks. Those with weekly classes ate more fruits and veggies and said they walked more, but machines didn’t show they moved more overall.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 565 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — eating 0.6 more cups of fruits/veggies daily is a meaningful step toward heart health, and walking more is good even if not intense.
- 2Fruit and veggies: +0.6 cups/day.
- 3Vegetables alone: +0.3 cups/day.
- 4Walking: +113.5 MET-minutes/week.
- 5No change in machine-measured exercise.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
Year
2019
Authors
S. Folta, L. Paul, M. Nelson, D. Strogatz, M. Graham, Galen D. Eldridge, M. Higgins, D. Wing, Rebecca A. Seguin-Fowler
Related Content
Claims (5)
A program that helped older rural women eat more fruits and veggies led to them eating about half a cup more each day than women who got little help — showing that good education can make a difference even when fresh food isn’t always easy to find.
Eating healthy, nutritious food can help lower your chances of having heart problems like heart attacks or strokes.
A program that taught rural women over 40 who are overweight how to eat more vegetables helped them eat about one-third of a cup more veggies each day than women who got only basic info — showing that even in places with limited food options, education can make a real difference.
A program in rural areas that helped women over 40 who are overweight get more active by walking and getting involved in their community led to them reporting they walked more—about 113.5 extra MET-minutes a week—than women who got only basic info, even though actual movement didn’t change when measured with devices.
In rural women over 40 who are overweight or obese, adding structured exercise classes didn’t make them move more during the day than just giving them basic advice — so those classes alone might not help them get more active.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.