Increasing Fruit and Vegetable Intake among Children and Youth through Gardening-Based Interventions: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Although there are numerous health benefits associated with eating fruit and 4 vegetables (FV), few children are consuming recommended amounts. Gardening interventions 5 have been implemented in various settings in an effort to increase FV consumption of children 6 by expanding knowledge, exposure, and preferences for a variety of FV. 7Objective: The purpose of this review was to identify the effectiveness of gardening 8 interventions that have been implemented to increase FV consumption among children. 9Methods: A systematic review was conducted using four electronic databases: Web of Science, 10PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL. English language studies conducted in developed countries 11 between January 2005 and October 2015 were included in this review. Included studies 12 measured FV consumption of children ages 2-15 years old before and after implementation of a 13 gardening intervention in a school, community, or after school setting. All study designs were 14 included in this review. A total of 891 articles were identified through database searching and 15 cross-referencing. After removing duplicates, 650 articles remained and were screened using 16 inclusion and exclusion criteria. Twenty-seven full text articles were analyzed and 14 articles 17 were included in this review. 18Results: Of the 14 articles reviewed, 10 articles found statistically significant increases in fruit 19 or vegetable consumption among participants after implementation of a gardening intervention. 20However, many studies were limited by the use of convenience samples, small sample sizes, and 21 self-reported measurements of FV consumption. 22 Conclusions:Although the evidence is mixed and fraught with limitations, most studies suggest 23 a small but positive impact of gardening interventions on children's FV intake. Future studies 24 GARDENING INTERVENTIONS FOR CHILDREN 2 that include control groups, randomized designs, and assessments of FV consumption over at 25 least one year are needed to advance the literature on this topic.

New frontiers in community initiatives to increase vegetable consumption

“…Caution is however needed in interpreting the results since F&Vs are generally combined in the reports, and children's self‐report is the main method of evaluation. A body of literature supports positive influences on food‐related behaviours such as increased ability to identify and try different F&Vs, greater interest and confidence in cooking, and increased accessibility to fresh produce . In Savoie's recent international review, 10 out of 14 studies reported statistically significant increases in fruit or vegetable consumption among children ranging from 2 to 15 years after they were involved in a gardening intervention .…”

“…A body of literature supports positive influences on food‐related behaviours such as increased ability to identify and try different F&Vs, greater interest and confidence in cooking, and increased accessibility to fresh produce . In Savoie's recent international review, 10 out of 14 studies reported statistically significant increases in fruit or vegetable consumption among children ranging from 2 to 15 years after they were involved in a gardening intervention . Overall, these results are more positive than for community gardens that concentrate primarily on food production, although several papers evaluating community gardens have demonstrated positive outcomes for adults including access to fresh vegetables and increased vegetable consumption amongst participants .…”

“…[34][35][36] In Savoie's recent international review, 10 out of 14 studies reported statistically significant increases in fruit or vegetable consumption among children ranging from 2 to 15 years after they were involved in a gardening intervention. 35 Overall, these results are more positive than for community gardens that concentrate primarily on food production, although several papers evaluating community gardens have demonstrated positive outcomes for adults including access to fresh vegetables and increased vegetable consumption amongst participants. 31,37 In Australia, the total number of school kitchen gardens is not known, but the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation alone resources more than 800 schools (J. Duffy, pers.…”

“…The research/literature summarised above supports positive changes to vegetable intake and associated food-related choices for people engaged in a range of community interventions. 35,42,43 For children, there is evidence to suggest that engagement with food and exposure to the process of harvesting and production has a positive impact on willingness to eat a wider range of vegetables. 35 Projects that involve children and adults in growing food appear to have a positive effect on consumption, especially where there is an element of food preparation.…”

“…35,42,43 For children, there is evidence to suggest that engagement with food and exposure to the process of harvesting and production has a positive impact on willingness to eat a wider range of vegetables. 35 Projects that involve children and adults in growing food appear to have a positive effect on consumption, especially where there is an element of food preparation. 37 These results highlight the value of community-driven interventions, and the importance of continued investment by government and health promotion practitioners to strengthen community action.…”