The Effects of the Healthy Primary School of the Future on Children's Fruit and Vegetable Preferences, Familiarity and Intake.

Marla T H Hahnraths,Bjorn Winkens,Maartje Willeboordse,Patricia Van Assema,Constant P Van Schayck

doi:10.3390/nu13093241

Abstract

Mere exposure is an often-described strategy to increase children’s food familiarity, preferences, and intake. Research investigating this method in less controlled settings is scarce. This study investigates the effects of repeated fruit and vegetable (FV) exposure through the Healthy Primary School of the Future (HPSF) on children’s FV familiarity, preferences, and intake. The study had a longitudinal quasi-experimental design comparing two full HPSFs (focus: nutrition and physical activity) with two partial HPSFs (focus: physical activity) in the Netherlands. Annual measurements (child-reported questionnaires) were conducted during 2015–2019 in 833 7–12-year-old children. The study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02800616). After correction for baseline, full HPSFs had, on average, a lower number of unfamiliar vegetable items after one (effect size (ES) = −0.28) and three years (ES = −0.35) and a higher number of disliked vegetable items after one year (ES = 0.24) than partial HPSFs. Unfavorable intervention effects were observed for fruit intake after one (odds ratio (OR) = 0.609) and four years (OR = 0.451). Repeated FV exposure had limited effects on children’s FV familiarity, preferences, and intake, likely due to insufficient taste exposure. Considering the widespread implementation of school-based mere exposure efforts, it is highly relevant to further investigate under which circumstances mere exposure effectively contributes to improvements in (determinants of) FV intake.

Highlights

Despite the important health benefits of fruit and vegetable (FV) intake, insufficientFV consumption is a global issue related to multiple health problems, such as obesity, coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancer [1,2]
There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between full and partial Healthy Primary School of the Future (HPSF)
The current study aimed to investigate the effects of repeated FV exposure through the full HPSF intervention on children’s FV familiarity, preferences, and intake

Summary

Introduction

Despite the important health benefits of fruit and vegetable (FV) intake, insufficient. FV consumption is a global issue related to multiple health problems, such as obesity, coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancer [1,2]. In 2017, globally, 3.9 million deaths could be attributed to inadequate FV consumption [2]. As lifestyle behaviors that are formed during childhood are likely to persist throughout adulthood, promoting FV consumption at a young age is expected to result in both immediate as well as long-term health benefits [3–5]. In the Netherlands, the current dietary habits of children show significant room for improvement as their FV intake is currently suboptimal. 2014–2016, only 42% of children (aged 4–9 years) consumed at least recommended 150 g of fruit per day in the Netherlands; this percentage dropped to 20% for 9–12-year-olds. 2014–2016, only 42% of children (aged 4–9 years) consumed at least recommended 150 g of fruit per day in the Netherlands; this percentage dropped to 20% for 9–12-year-olds. 4.0/).

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