Peer leaders and adolescents participating in a multicomponent school based nutrition intervention had dietary improvements.

Participants Students {mean age 12.8 y}* in middle or junior high school. Schools were eligible if they had ≥ 20% of students approved for the free and reduced price lunch programme and ≥ 30 students in each of the seventh and eighth grades. 3878 students completed the baseline survey in fall 1998, and 3503 (90%) completed the year end survey in spring 1999 (51% boys, 69% white). Intervention The 16 schools were pair matched; 8 schools (1748 students) were allocated to the intervention, and 8 schools (1755 students) were allocated to a control condition. Students in intervention schools were exposed for 1 school year to varying levels of a multicomponent nutrition programme called Teens Eating for Energy and Nutrition at School (TEENS): environment interventions only, which included school promotion of fruits, vegetables, and lower fat foods (n=845); classroom plus environment interventions (n=677); and training as peer leaders (to lead small group activities and discussions) and classroom plus environment interventions (n=226, peer leader group). The classroom intervention component consisted of 10 behaviourally based sessions (based on social cognitive theory) that used nutrition themes, involved self assessment and goal setting, and included family education and activities.