Nutrition Education for Emerging Adults: Protocol for Program Evaluation

BACKGROUND: Emerging adults (ie, those aged 18 to 25 years) in the United States exhibit the poorest diet quality among all adult age groups, contributing to adverse health and academic outcomes. Existing nutrition education programs often overlook this population, particularly those without children. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to present the development of a nutrition education curriculum for emerging adults, including its process and outcome evaluation strategies and measures. METHODS: The Fuel to Thrive program was adapted from an established state program for adults. The content was informed by reviewing the literature, conducting focus groups with health educators, and holding regular meetings with a curriculum committee. The final program consists of five 1-hour lessons incorporating nutrition education, recipe demonstrations, and physical activity. Process evaluation will involve focus groups with participants and interviews with educators to assess relevance and feasibility. Outcome evaluation will include surveys administered before and after the program to assess dietary behaviors, physical activity, food safety, and food resource management. RESULTS: The program is currently being piloted at a Texas university. Additional implementations are planned for fall 2025 and spring 2026, with the inclusion of the Short Healthy Eating Index Survey to better assess diet quality changes. CONCLUSIONS: The Fuel to Thrive program addresses a critical gap in nutrition education for emerging adults by offering a tailored curriculum. Future iterations will refine the program based on participant and educator feedback and expand evaluation efforts. The long-term goal is national dissemination to improve dietary behaviors and health outcomes among emerging adults. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/81647.