Experiential Learning Interventions and Healthy Eating Outcomes in Children: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Experiential learning is the process where learners create meaning from direct experience. This systematic review aimed to examine the effects of experiential learning activities on dietary outcomes (knowledge, attitudes, behaviors) in children. Four databases: Education Research Complete, Scopus, Web of Science and PsychINFO were searched from database inception to 2020. Eligible studies included children 0–12 years, assessed effect of experiential learning on outcomes of interest compared to non-experiential learning and were open to any setting. The quality of studies was assessed using the revised Cochrane risk of bias tool by two independent reviewers and effect size was calculated on each outcome. Nineteen studies were conducted in primary school, six in pre-school and one in an outside-of-school setting and used nine types of experiential learning strategies. Cooking, taste-testing, games, role-playing, and gardening were effective in improving nutrition outcomes in primary school children. Sensory evaluation, games, creative arts, and storybooks were effective for preschool children. Multiple strategies involving parents, and short/intense strategies are useful for intervention success. Experiential learning is a useful strategy to improve children’s knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards healthy eating. Fewer studies in pre-school and outside of school settings and high risk of bias may limit the generalizability and strength of the findings.

The Effects of a Multi-Component School-Based Nutrition Education Intervention on Children’s Determinants of Fruit and Vegetable Intake

“…Taste Lessons consisted of a large portion of traditional learning (in the form of classroom-based lessons combined with small experiments and activities), while the learning street program comprises more elements focusing almost exclusively on experiential learning (e.g., a visit to a grower’s farm and a cooking lesson) [ 43 ]. More experiential learning might lead to greater effects; research suggests it is a useful strategy to improve children’s attitudes [ 26 ]. Other studies evaluating interventions consisting of a large portion of experiential learning also found positive intervention effects on children’s attitudes over the short and/or long term [ 44 , 45 , 46 ].…”

“…Kids University for Cooking developed a school-based nutrition education curriculum specifically for children in study years 5–8 in primary school (internationally comparable to grades 3–6). A conceptual framework ( Figure 1 ) based on SCT [ 8 ] and the environmental research framework for weight gain prevention (EnRG) [ 23 ] served as the theoretical foundation for the curriculum, which employs concepts from self-determination theory, experiential learning, and imagineering (e.g., self-experience in an interactive environment, rather than conventional education) [ 24 , 25 , 26 ]. The aim of the curriculum is to teach children where FVs come from, how they are processed, how they can be used for the preparation of healthy meals, and to let children experience different aspects of FVs in a positive context.…”

Parental intentions to implement vegetable feeding strategies at home: A cross sectional study

“…Research studies have previously assessed the effectiveness of different strategies to encourage young children to consume more vegetables such as offering vegetables first in a meal (Spill, Birch, Roe, & Rolls, 2010), serving larger portions (Mathias et al, 2012), providing sensory play (Coulthard & Sealy, 2017) and offering a variety (Roe, Meengs, Birch, & Rolls, 2013). Applying these strategies at home may help to promote vegetable intake for both children and their families (Cravener et al, 2015;Holley, Haycraft, & Farrow, 2015;Varman et al, 2021). However, there are a range of parent feeding and child eating factors that could influence how effective parents believe some strategies will be, and their intentions to implement these at home.…”

Hands-on childcare garden intervention: A randomized controlled trial to assess effects on fruit and vegetable identification, liking, and consumption among children aged 3–5 years in North Carolina

“…Establishing fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption habits early in life may set children on a trajectory toward healthy eating, helping them to maintain healthy weight and reduce the later risk of obesity and associated health issues ( Birch et al, 2007 ; Schwartz et al, 2011 ; Grimm et al, 2014 ). Experiential learning in early childhood is central to child development and, therefore, may be a critical strategy to engage young children in increasing about fruit and vegetables (FV) by tasting and exploring through hands-on activities ( Nekitsing et al, 2018 ; Varman et al, 2021 ).…”