ERIC Number: EJ1141906
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1559-5676
EISSN: N/A
Pairing Fruit and Vegetables to Promote Consumption in Elementary School Cafeterias
Snelling, Anastasia; Newman, Constance; Watts, Erin; Van Dyke, Hugo; Malloy, Elizabeth; Gharmarian, Yasha; Guthrie, Joanne; Mancino, Lisa
Journal of Child Nutrition & Management, v41 n1 Spr 2017
Purpose/Objectives: This study evaluated a behavioral economic strategy which paired a fresh cold fruit and cold vegetable to increase consumption of vegetables among elementary school children. Methods: The 14-day study was conducted in 12 public elementary schools in a suburban school district, which follows the offer model allowing students to select either a fruit or vegetable. The percent of students who consumed the target vegetable was measured and compared between 6 experimental and 6 control schools using a logistic regression framework. Odds ratio tests were used to determine how much more likely a student at an experimental school was to consume the cold vegetable in comparison to a student at a control school. Results: For all visits, the ratio was significantly larger than one. The probability of consuming the cold vegetable was 1.4 to 2.9 times greater at the experimental schools. Applications to Child Nutrition Professionals: When a fresh cold fruit was paired with a cold vegetable as one unit, students in elementary schools significantly increased their consumption of vegetables. Strategies for encouraging students to take healthy options is an effective first step in increasing consumption of these items.
Descriptors: Nutrition Instruction, Food, Eating Habits, Public Schools, Suburban Schools, Elementary School Students, Experimental Groups, Control Groups, Probability, Program Effectiveness, Child Health, Obesity, Observation
School Nutrition Association. 120 Waterfront Street Suite 300, National Harbor, MD 20745. Tel: 301-686-3100; Fax: 301-686-3115; e-mail: servicecenter@schoolnutrition.org; Web site: http://schoolnutrition.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Economic Research Service (USDA)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A