Changes in fruit and vegetable consumption of third-grade students in body quest: food of the warrior, a 17-class childhood obesity prevention program

Abstract

Objective: To increase fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption of youth in Body Quest: Food of the Warrior (BQ), a childhood obesity prevention program.

Design: Quasi-experimental.

Setting: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education eligible schools (n = 60).

Participants: Third-grade students (n = 2,477).

Intervention: Treatment groups (n = 1,674) self-reported foods consumed through the School Lunch Program for 17 weekly assessments; they participated in BQ curriculum, iPad app education, and weekly FV tastings. Control groups (n = 803) completed only pre- and post-assessments.

Main outcome measure: Weekly FV consumed through School Lunch Program.

Analysis: ANCOVA and growth modeling.

Results: From before to after the program, the treatment group demonstrated significant, moderate increases in fruit (P < .01) and vegetable (P < .001) consumptions, increasing from 7 to 8 weekly FV servings. After the program, the treatment group consumed significantly (P < .001) more FV than the control group. Fruit and vegetable consumption increased to class 10 and then stabilized. From before to after the program, all FV predictors were significantly higher and included gender (vegetables), race (FV), and free/reduced lunch (fruit).

Conclusions and implications: Nutrition programs can increase FV intake. Even moderate increases in FV intake can be an initial step for the prevention of chronic disease.

Keywords: child; comparative effectiveness research; fruit; overweight; rural health; vegetable.