School intervention to improve preferences for fruit and vegetables
Abstract
Purpose
Fruit and vegetable (F&V) intakes amongst Scottish schoolchildren are lower than recommended. The purpose of this paper is to describe an intervention which combined F&V with peer‐modelling and rewards to influence consumption of F&V.
Design/methodology/approach
A school‐based initiative was implemented in 19 primary schools. The evaluation of 8 schools (n = 1,477 pupils aged 4.5‐12 years) is reported. The three‐week intervention included free F&V (80 g portions), a peer‐modelling video and a series of small rewards followed by a four to six week maintenance phase during which time free F&V continued. Questionnaires were completed at baseline (T1) and up to two months after the end of the maintenance phase (T2) to assess changes in F&V consumption.
Findings
At T2, children in years 1 and 2 consumed F&V at school more often compared with T1, and ate a greater number of portions each time. There were no significant differences in home consumption. The picture was similar for children in years 3‐7 with no change in the reported number of portions.
Originality/value
Few behavioural interventions have been carried out in the public health arena to increase F&V consumption. This paper shows that a peer‐modelling intervention significantly increased consumption of F&V at school, while home consumption remained stable.
Keywords
Citation
Clarke, A.M., Ruxton, C.H.S., Hetherington, L., O'Neil, S. and McMillan, B. (2009), "School intervention to improve preferences for fruit and vegetables", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 39 No. 2, pp. 118-127. https://doi.org/10.1108/00346650910943226
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited