Give 'em more vegetables

Schoolchildren Consume More Fruits and Vegetables When Given More Access

(“Fruit and Veg Access in Schools Promotes Overall Consumption, Study,” foodnavigator-usa.com, September 13, 2006)

Children increased their consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables as a result of a pilot program at 25 Mississippi schools that involved 725 students in grades 5, 8 and 10, according to a study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An evaluation conducted last fall before the program started and in the spring at the end of the school year showed that more access to fruits and vegetables raises most children’s willingness to try a new fruit and vegetable and increases the variety and amounts of consumption of these foods. Students in grades 8 and 10 preferred eating more fruits than vegetables, and their consumption of vegetables did not increase during the school year. Fifth grade students responded to the program with the least success. “The distribution of fresh fruit at school free of charge to secondary school students might be an effective component of a comprehensive approach for improving student dietary behaviors,” concluded the report, which called for more research on the subject.

http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=70510&m=1FNU913&c=xqdjukrrlerzutg