A Comprehensive Nutrition Education Program Promotes Behavior Change and Perception of Food Access Across the Older Adult Age Span

Strategies to promote healthy behaviors among older adults are needed to mitigate vulnerabilities to negative health outcomes, especially for those with low income. Healthy Eating and Staying Active as We Age (HESA), a nine-lesson educational series for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-eligible older adults, was created to promote health among aging audiences. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the behavior change of older adults following participation in HESA, which covers food resource management, nutrition, food safety, and physical activity behaviors, as well as perceived food affordability and accessibility, and to determine if HESA is appropriate across the age span of older adults. Pre- and post-evaluation data from HESA participants were collected at the first and last sessions of the HESA series. Paired samples t-tests were used to determine differences in outcome measures from pre- to post-HESA participation. There were statistically significant improvements in mean self-reported behaviors for all outcomes (p < 0.001). There were no differences in mean self-perceived behavior changes between age groups. Based on these results, HESA is a promising curriculum that addresses key needs among this vulnerable population of older adults.