Long-term effects of the Dutch Schoolgruiten Project – promoting fruit and vegetable consumption among primary-school children

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103

Objective: To describe fruit and vegetable intake of 11-year-old children in ten European countries and compare it with current dietary guidelines. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Intake was assessed using a previously validated questionnaire containing a pre-coded 24 h recall and an FFQ which were completed in the classroom. Portion sizes were calculated using a standardized protocol. Setting: Surveys were performed in schools regionally selected in eight countries and nationally representative in two countries. Subjects: A total of 8158 children from 236 schools across Europe participating in the PRO GREENS project. Results: The total mean consumption of fruit and vegetables was between 220 and 345 g/d in the ten participating countries. Mean intakes did not reach the WHO population goal of ≥ 400 g/d in any of the participating countries. Girls had a significantly higher intake of total fruit and vegetables than boys in five of the countries (Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Bulgaria and Slovenia). Mean total fruit intake ranged between 114 and 240 g/d and vegetable intake between 73 and 141 g/d. When using the level ≥ 400 g/d as a cut-off, only 23·5 % (13·8-37·0 %) of the studied children, depending on country and gender, met the WHO recommendation (fruit juice excluded). Conclusions: Fruit and vegetable consumption was below recommended levels among the schoolchildren in all countries and vegetable intake was lower than fruit intake. The survey shows that there is a need for promotional activities to improve fruit and vegetable consumption in this age group. Keywords Fruit and vegetable consumption Children EuropeIt has been recognized for some time that fruit and vegetables (F&V) constitute an essential part of a healthy diet (1)(2)(3) . High consumption of F&V has been associated with a decreased risk of morbidity and mortality from a number of chronic diseases like CHD (4) , stroke (5) , type 2 diabetes (6) and certain cancers (7) . F&V are low in energy

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confidence: 99%

Fruit and vegetable consumption in a sample of 11-year-old children in ten European countries – the PRO GREENS cross-sectional survey

Lynch

Kristjansdottir

Velde

et al. 2014

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103

“…School programmes for increased F&V consumption may include one or several components, including, for example, specific F&V projects in food and health subjects, parental involvement, school cafeteria interventions and actual provision of F&V to the pupils, either free or at a subsidized price (3,(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16) . Experiences from this last type of intervention -actual provision of F&V to the pupils -have generally been positive, although the evidence on whether it leads to sustained increases in F&V intake 2-3 years after the intervention period is both scarce and mixed (3,(8)(9)(10)(11) .…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Experiences from this last type of intervention -actual provision of F&V to the pupils -have generally been positive, although the evidence on whether it leads to sustained increases in F&V intake 2-3 years after the intervention period is both scarce and mixed (3,(8)(9)(10)(11) .…”

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confidence: 99%

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Evaluating free school fruit: results from a natural experiment in Norway with representative data

Øvrum¹,

Bere

2013

Objective: To assess impacts of the nationwide Norwegian School Fruit Scheme (NSFS) using nationally representative data. Design: The NSFS is organized such that primary-school children (grades 1-7) are randomly assigned to one of three school fruit arrangements: (i) the child receives one free fruit or vegetable per day; (ii) the child is given the option to subscribe to one fruit or vegetable per day at a subsidized price; and (iii) the child attends a school that has no school fruit arrangement. Setting: Data from an Internet survey are used to compare child and parental fruit and vegetable intakes across the three NSFS groups focusing mainly on groups (i) and (iii). The analysis was conducted using multivariate regression techniques. Subjects: Parents of primary-school children (n 1423) who report on behalf of themselves and their children. Results: Children who receive free school fruit eat on average 0?36 more fruit portions daily -or 25?0 % more fruits -than children who attend schools with no fruit arrangement (P , 0?001). Moreover, parents of children who receive free school fruit eat on average 0?19 more fruit portions daily -or 12?5 % more fruitsthan parents of children who attend schools with no fruit arrangement (P 5 0?040). No significant associations were found between the NSFS and the vegetable intakes of children and their parents.

“…Introduced into primary schools between 2002 and 2004, the scheme makes available one piece of fruit or a vegetable to children each school day for the first three years of school. The UK is not alone in introducing initiatives to promote children's intake of fruit and vegetables (1)(2)(3) .…”

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confidence: 99%

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

Ransley

Taylor

Radwan

et al. 2010

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.