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ERIC Number: EJ1275033
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1559-5676
EISSN: N/A
Fun Facts about Fruits and Vegetables Can Improve Consumption
Rajbhandari-Thapa, Janani; Vandellen, Michelle; Just, David; Panda, Saswat
Journal of Child Nutrition & Management, v44 n2 Fall 2020
Purpose/Objectives: Fruit and vegetable (F/V) consumption among children continues to be lower than recommended. This study tested the effectiveness of nudges using fun facts about F/V on F/V consumption by elementary school students in grades 1 through 5. The study hypothesis is higher F/V consumption with nudges. Methods: The design was a randomized comparison of F/V consumption with use of nudges to that without the nudges. Unlike previous studies, the intervention effectiveness was tested in two adjacent school districts in Georgia that differed in terms of socio-economic status (SES) of the students served. Four schools were selected from each school district to participate in the study. Two schools in each district were assigned to the control arm and two to the intervention arm. Fun facts about a select list of F/V were developed and communicated to intervention arm students using table tents. F/V selection and consumption were observed in both arms. Results: A total of 7,112 trays was observed across all eight schools. Consumption of F/V after nudges increased by 0.14 servings (p <0.001) in the two intervention schools of the district with higher SES. The intervention impact was significant when fewer F/V choices were offered in participating school lunchrooms. Increase in consumption of F/V after nudges was not significant in the district with low SES. Application to Child Nutrition Professionals: Our study concludes that using fun facts about F/V can increase their consumption, yet impact is not consistent among schools districts that serve students in different SES. Findings in this study showed students in districts with higher SES reacted positively to fun fact nudges with increased consumption of F/V.
School Nutrition Association. 120 Waterfront Street Suite 300, National Harbor, MD 20745. Tel: 301-686-3100; Fax: 301-686-3115; e-mail: servicecenter@schoolnutrition.org; Web site: http://schoolnutrition.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: US Department of Agriculture
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Georgia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A