Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #294710
Title: Boosting school kids familiarity with produce may increase consumption for both of them

Author
item Thomson, Jessica
item TUSSING-HUMPHREYS, LISA - University Of Illinois

Submitted to: Produce Business
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/28/2013
Publication Date: 7/20/2013
Citation: Thomson, J.L., Tussing-Humphreys, L. 2013. Boosting school kids familiarity with produce may increase consumption for both of them. Produce Business. 29(7):14.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Childhood obesity is a national public health threat with approximately 15% of children 2 to 19 years of age classified as overweight and 17% classified as obese. Once believed to be adult onset conditions, hypertension, dyslipidemia, osteoarthritis, and type 2 diabetes are now commonly seen in child populations. One strategy to fight childhood obesity, advocated by the pediatric medical community, is eating the government recommended daily amount for fruits (1.5 servings) and for vegetables (2-2.5 servings). However, children’s unwillingness to try healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, has been given as a reason for their low consumption of these foods. Therefore, we conducted a fruit and vegetable snack feeding trial to determine: (1) elementary school children’s familiarity with and willingness to try fruit and vegetable snacks; (2) if a school-based fruit and vegetable snack feeding intervention can increase children’s familiarity with and consumption of fruits and vegetables; and (3) associations between familiarity, willingness to try, and consumption of fruits and vegetables.