Does nutrition education in primary schools make a difference to children’s fruit and vegetable consumption?

Abstract

Objective: To explore whether initiatives to promote fruit and vegetables in primary schools are associated with changes in children's diet. Design: Cross-sectional dietary survey. Main outcome measures were intakes of fruit, vegetables and key nutrients; and a score for initiatives promoting fruit and vegetables in school. Setting: One hundred and twenty-nine English primary schools. Subjects: Year 2 children (aged 6-7 years, n 2530). Results: In schools running a gardening club, children ate more vegetables, 120 (95 % CI 111, 129) g/d, compared with those that did not, 99?3 (95 % CI 89?9, 109) g/d; and where parents were actively involved in school initiatives to promote fruit and vegetables, children's intake of vegetables was higher, 117 (95 % CI 107, 128) g/d, compared with those where parents were not involved, 105 (95 % CI 96?2, 114) g/d. In schools that achieved a high total score (derived from five key types of initiatives to promote fruit and vegetables in school) children ate more vegetables, 123 (95 % CI 114, 132) g/d, compared with those that did not, 97?7 (95 % CI 88?7, 107) g/d. Conclusions: Gardening, parental involvement and other activities promoting fruit and vegetables to children in school may be associated with increased intake of vegetables but not fruit. These effects were independent of deprivation status and ethnicity.

A qualitative study of a food intervention in a primary school: Pupils as agents of change

“…This corresponds with other studies of school-based cooking and gardening projects and effects on children's nutrition (Gibbs et al, 2013;Jones et al, 2012;Passy et al, 2010;Ransley et al, 2010;Wright & Rowell, 2010) and children's food awareness and skills. (Passy et al, 2010;Somerset & Markwell, 2009;Yeatman et al, 2013) This, along with the developing priorities of cooking and nutrition in schools, as evidenced by the revised National Curriculum, is further endorsement of school-based food activities.…”

Impact of actions of food and nutrition education program in a population of adolescents

“…These effects seem even greater when schools have gardens and/or include these foods in their meals [34][35][36] .…”

Participation des parents à un programme d’éducation nutritionnel implanté en milieu scolaire et développement de comportements alimentaires des enfants

“…De nombreux travaux ont démontré l'intérêt d'impliquer les parents dans les programmes d'éducation nutritionnelle implantés en milieu scolaire [3][4][5][6]8 . Dans ce sens, le programme intitulé The Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health (CATCH), l'un des exemples d'interventions de grande envergure, en fait la preuve 3 .…”

“…Le rapprochement de ces deux milieux visant l'adoption de saines habitudes de vie constitue un moyen efficace de promotion de la santé 1,2 . Les interventions scolaires en vue de modifier les comportements de santé des élèves sont plus efficaces lorsque les parents prennent part aux activités, comparées à celles restreintes à l'école [3][4][5][6] . Le présent article décrit la participation des parents dans un projet d'éducation à la nutrition -Petits cuistots -Parents en réseaux (PC-PR) -implanté en milieu scolaire défavorisé en utilisant la notion du mésosystème proposé par Bronfenbrenner (1979) 7 .…”