The two clusters were comprised of small groups of multi-ethnic, low-income individuals who were predominantly women aged 20-35 with low-literacy levels. The source of these groups was the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), a program of the USDA and Cooperative Extension Services of the University of California. EFNEP provided basic, non-CVD specific nutrition information to approximately 1000 low-income families in Santa Clara County, California annually in conjunction with job training programs and specialty schools for low-literate individuals. Twenty-four groups were matched in pairs for group size and type of setting and one of each pair was allocated randomly to receive the UC or SI. The UC group received an eight one-hour classroom curriculum covering nutrition information on the basic food groups, meal planning and food purchasing, delivered primarily through lecture and print materials. The Sl involved designing an innovative CVD nutrition program, composed of distinct education modules, that used face-to-face, participatory education and mediated materials for low-literate adults. Participants learned to modify their own family menus, select and prepare low cost foods obtained from the USDA or food stamps, and received specially adapted and newly developed materials that relied little on written communication that were sensitive to cultural dietary beliefs.