Effectiveness of Taste Lessons with and without additional experiential learning activities on children's psychosocial determinants of vegetables consumption

Marieke C E Battjes-Fries; Annemien Haveman-Nies; Ellen J I van Dongen; Hante J Meester; Rinelle van den Top-Pullen; Kees de Graaf; Pieter van 't Veer

doi:10.1016/j.appet.2016.06.016

Effectiveness of Taste Lessons with and without additional experiential learning activities on children's psychosocial determinants of vegetables consumption

Appetite. 2016 Oct 1:105:519-26. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2016.06.016. Epub 2016 Jun 15.

Authors

Marieke C E Battjes-Fries¹, Annemien Haveman-Nies², Ellen J I van Dongen³, Hante J Meester⁴, Rinelle van den Top-Pullen⁵, Kees de Graaf⁶, Pieter van 't Veer⁷

Affiliations

¹ Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8129, 6700 EV, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: marieke_fries@hotmail.com.
² Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8129, 6700 EV, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: annemien.haveman@wur.nl.
³ Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8129, 6700 EV, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: ellen.vandongen@wur.nl.
⁴ Steunpunt Smaaklessen & EU-Schoolfruit, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: hantemeester@hotmail.com.
⁵ Steunpunt Smaaklessen & EU-Schoolfruit, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: rinelle.vandentop@wur.nl.
⁶ Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8129, 6700 EV, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: kees.degraaf@wur.nl.
⁷ Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8129, 6700 EV, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: pieter.vantveer@wur.nl.

PMID: 27317617
DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2016.06.016

Abstract

Experiential learning methods seem to be promising to enhance healthy eating behaviour in children. Therefore, this study compared the effectiveness of the Dutch programme Taste Lessons with and without additional experiential learning activities on children's psychosocial determinants of vegetable consumption. In a quasi-experimental design, 800 children aged 8-11 years old from 34 elementary schools participated in a Taste Lessons (TL: 5 lessons) group, a Taste Lessons Vegetable Menu (TLVM: TL with 3 added experiential learning activities) group, and a control group. During a baseline and follow-up measurement, children completed a questionnaire on psychosocial determinants towards vegetables consumption. Multilevel regression analyses were conducted to compare changes in the determinants between the TLVM group and the TL group, and between the two intervention groups and the control group. The TLVM group showed a significantly higher increase in knowledge (p < 0.001), attitude and subjective norm of the teacher (both p < 0.05), whereas the TL group only showed a significantly higher increase in knowledge (p < 0.001) compared to the control group. Increases in knowledge (p < 0.10), subjective norm (p < 0.10) and cooking self-efficacy (p < 0.05) were higher in the TLVM group than in the TL group. Therefore, more and stronger effects were found in children who participated in the additional hands-on activities.

Keywords: Effect evaluation; Experiential learning; Nutrition education; Psychosocial determinants; Vegetable consumption.

Publication types

Multicenter Study
Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Child
Child Behavior / psychology
Child, Preschool
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Food Preferences / psychology*
Health Education
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Male
Netherlands
Problem-Based Learning*
Schools
Socioeconomic Factors
Students / psychology*
Surveys and Questionnaires
Taste*
Vegetables*