The effects of a nutrition education curriculum on improving young children’s fruit and vegetable preferences and nutrition and health knowledge

Abstract

Objective: The main objective of the present study was to develop and evaluate a nutrition education curriculum to enhance young children's dietary behaviours and nutrition and health knowledge. Design: A randomized controlled design was utilized. The intervention was designed to improve children's nutrition and health knowledge and preferences for fruits and vegetables through classroom lessons and activities, including direct instruction and tastings (implemented twice per week for 6 weeks). Setting: The study took place in elementary schools in a Midwestern US state. Subjects: One hundred and thirty-one 2nd grade children from ten classrooms (n 82 intervention, n 49 control) participated. Results: Multiple regression analyses that adjusted SE for clustering by classroom were used to test hypotheses. Children in the intervention condition demonstrated significantly higher scores on the nutrition and health survey ( β = 0·47, P = 0·001) and showed greater preferences for fruits and vegetables at post-test than the control group ( β = 0·19, P = 0·003). Conclusions: Findings suggest that a short, 6-week intervention that aligns with educational standards has the ability to significantly enhance children's outcomes and thus may be a more feasible option for teachers to incorporate into their classrooms than what is currently available.

Can Nutrition Education in Primary Schools be an Efficient Way to Prevent Obesity in Adult Life? A Review of the Literature

“…Time of intervention vary among different studies. Finding suggest that from short (12 weeks or less) [13,[17][18][19][20] to intermediate (4-12 months) [11,[21][22][23][24] and long (more than one year) [25,26] interventions have the ability to significantly enhance children's knowledge.…”

“…To enhance children's dietary behaviors, in particular to increase the preferences for fruits and vegetables (FV) at post-test, even a short (6-week) intervention has the ability to enhance significantly children's outcomes [13]. FV intake [27].…”

“…• Schools is as a primary context for the development of healthy dietary behaviours and nutrition related knowledge, and although evidence is mixed, previous research has found that these domains can be improved through school-based interventions [13]. Thus, exposing children to healthy foods and providing an appropriate nutritional education may help prevent the onset of overweight and obesity, laying the foundation for lifelong health and well-being [Schmitt 2018].…”

Impact of a nutrition education programme on preschool children’s willingness to consume fruits and vegetables

“…Few children aged 3-5 years meet the recommended dietary guidelines for fruit and vegetable consumption in the USA (1) . From an early age, children's experiences with fruits and vegetables influence both preferences and intake (2,3) . Evidence from laboratory studies suggests that when preschool-aged children are given repeated opportunities to taste unfamiliar foods, there is an increase in their affinity for, and consumption of, those foods (4)(5)(6)(7)(8) .…”

Challenges in child and adolescent nutrition

“…The intervention improved some of the family-related determinants but not the actual snacking habits of the pre-school children. Another short intervention in US elementary schools improved nutrition knowledge and preference for fruit and vegetables ( 12 ) . Oddo et al ( 13 ) review the literature on nutrition interventions for adolescents in Indonesia and, although there was limited information, recommended iron–folic acid supplements, anti-helminths and nutrition education delivered through schools, along with further work on this topic.…”