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Session: Let's Focus on Healthy Dietary Components and Overall Healthy Dietary Pattern: Health Implications and Technology-Supported Tools for Assessment and Interventions (Poster Theater Flash Session 14)

(PTFS14-06-24) Exposure to Fruit and Vegetables-Based Snacks Improved Children’s Willingness to Try New Fruit and Vegetables

Monday, July 1, 2024
10:20 AM – 10:24 AM CT
Location:  Hall F1 (The Hub) - Poster Theater

    Presenting Author(s)

  • ZY

    Zhiping Yu, PhD, RD, LDN

    Associate Professor
    University of North Florida
    Jacksonville, Florida, United States

    Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

    • Co-Author(s)

  • JL

    Jamisha Leftwich

    University of North Florida, United States

  • AM

    Adrien Malek-Lasater

    University of North Florida, United States

Objectives: Nutrition intervention (e.g., fruit and vegetable intake promotion) during early childhood is associated with healthier weight and positive health outcomes. Yet, preschool aged children (2-5 years old) in the United States are not eating enough fruits and vegetables and are experiencing alarmingly high obesity rates. This study aims to investigate the influence of exposure, parent education, and teacher training on preschooler’s fruit and vegetable intake.

Methods: This is part of a 7-month non-randomized clinical trial that includes one high-intervention group (HI) and one low-intervention group (LI). Children ages 2-5 years old who are enrolled in two center- based preschools in fall 2023 were recruited. In total, there were 45 students in HI group and 27 students in LI group. In both groups, parents and teachers received biweekly nutrition lessons on the topics of fruit and vegetables. In HI group only, seven categories of fruit and vegetables snacks were given from September 2023 to December 2023. The willingness to try was assessed before and after each category of fruit and vegetables-based snacks were given. Post-intervention differences between two groups were compared using multiple linear regression adjusted for baseline data.

Results: After 3month at midpoint, the HI group had significantly higher height than LI group (105.5cm vs. 104.2 cm, p< 0.001), insignificant differences in weight between two groups (16.6 kg vs. 16.6 kg, p >0.05), and significantly higher number of fruits and vegetables that they were willing to try (11.62 vs. 11.30, p=0.01) than LI group.

Conclusions: This study demonstrated positive impact of exposure to daily fruit and vegetable-based snacks in preschool and provided evidence for nutrition intervention in school setting.

Funding Sources: UNF COEHS STEP into Learning Network Internal Grant for Research