A new study indicates that hair stylists may be useful in helping people change their eating habits.

According to Reuters, researchers from South Carolina State and Florida State University in Tallahassee studied two beauty salons in a rural African-American community of South Carolina.

For six weeks, one of the salons took part in a health intervention program called "Steps for a New You," which provided clients with informational packets, starter kits with samples of fruits and vegetables, as well as scripted motivational sessions delivered by their stylists. The other salon carried on as usual.

They found that the women who received nutritional information and advice from their hairdressers increased their average fruit and vegetable intake by one and a half servings per day.

"The respect for cosmetologists within the African-American community allows for dialog to flow freely and for all within the salon to share their stories about personal life concerns, including health," lead researcher Latasha Johnson told the news provider.

The recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables varies based on age and activity level, but experts say most people should aim for at least nine servings, or four and a half cups, of vegetables and fruits a day.

Researchers say that a larger, longer-term study is needed to confirm the findings, which appear in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.