Distributing Free Fresh Fruit and Vegetables at School: Results of a Pilot Outcome Evaluation
Open accessAbstract
Objectives.: Consumption of fruit and vegetables among children is generally below recommended levels. This evaluation addressed two questions: ( 1) To what extent did children's attitudes toward, familiarity with, and preferences for fruit and vegetables change during the school year? and ( 2) To what extent did children's consumption of fruit and vegetables change during the school year? Methods.: During the 2004–2005 school year, the Mississippi Department of Education, Child Nutrition Programs initiated a pilot program to distribute free fruit and vegetables to students (kindergarten through 12th grade) during the school day. Data were collected in 2004–2005 within a one-group pretest/posttest design using a self-report questionnaire ( n=725) and 24-hour dietary recalls ( n=207) with a sample of students from five schools in Mississippi. Data were analyzed in 2006–2007. Results.: Results showed greater familiarity with fruit and vegetables at all grade levels ( p<0.05) and increased preferences for fruit among eighth- and 10th-grade students ( p<0.01). Eighth-grade students also reported more positive attitudes toward eating fruit and vegetables ( p<0.01), increased perceived self-efficacy to eat more fruit ( p<0.01), and increased willingness to try new fruit. Finally, results showed increased consumption of fruit, but not vegetables, among eighth- and 10th-grade students ( p<0.001). Conclusions.: Distributing free fruit and vegetables at school may be a viable component of a more comprehensive approach for improving students' nutrition attitudes and behaviors. More program emphasis is needed on ways to promote vegetable consumption.
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Two studies of a fresh fruit and vegetable program demonstrated significant increases in fruit consumption; greater familiarity with and preferences for fruits and vegetables were demonstrated in at least some age groups in 1 study.
“Greater familiarity with and preferences for fruits and vegetables were demonstrated in at least some age groups in 1 study,239 and both studies demonstrated significant increases in fruit consumption.”
From Population Approaches to Improve Diet, Physical Activity, and Smoking Habits: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (2012) · cites this paper as [239]
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- Authors
- Coyle, K. K., Potter, S., Schneider, D., May, G., Robin, L. E., Seymour, J., & Debrot, K.
- Affiliations
- Education Training And Research (US)
- Mississippi Department of Education (US)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US)
- Corresponding author
- Coyle, Karin K.
- Venue
- Public Health Reports®
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2009-09
- Volume
- 124
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 660-669
- ISSN
- 0033-3549 (ISSN-L)
- 1468-2877
- PMC
- PMC2728658
- OpenAlex
- W120878502
- Cited by
- 48
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 2.90
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Public Health Reports (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Public Health Service (200-2002-00800)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations
- Keywords
- food preferences, food familiarity, self-efficacy, willingness to try new foods, child nutrition programs
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Child, Diet Surveys, Female, Food Preferences, Food Services, Fruit, Humans, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Male, Mississippi, Nutritional Requirements, Pilot Projects, School Health Services, Vegetables, Program Evaluation, Self Efficacy
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