Implementing a 5-a-Day peer health educator program for public sector labor and trades employees

Peer education in the Arizona 5-a-Day project achieved lasting improvements in fruit and vegetable intake among multicultural employees. Measures moni tored implementation of peer education from peer educators' logs, the progr am's reach from employee surveys, and employees' use in terms of employees' dietary change. Peer educators logged 9,182 coworker contacts. Contacts av eraged 10.9 minutes, according to coworkers. Coworkers read an average of 4 .7 booklets and 2.23 newsletters. Many employees talked with peer educators (59%) and read materials (54%) after the program finished. Employee report s of peer educator contact were positively associated with fruit and vegeta ble intake. Peer education was implemented as intended and reached many cow orkers. It continued after program completion, reached into coworkers' fami lies, and was used by employees to improve intake. This method can be used with employees who rely on informal sources and whose work presents barrier s to wellness activities.