Many researches with the aim to increase f&v consumption in children, in the context of preventing or counteracting obesity, evaluated the effectiveness of educational/behavioral/nutritional programs with the change in the preference for those foods. Rarely this change in preference is defined as a change in consumption. Outside of economic reasons or individual opinions what are the theoretical basis or the published data based on which they assume such a direct and one-way influence of a declared preference on the behavior?
Interesting thought. There are many things can be investigated, but the priority is given to the more significant research. Studying the fruit and vegetables consumption as outcomes might be interesting, but compared with it as the exposure, and obesity as the outcome, it has less significance. It might be useful to offer a test on the half way to know whether such intervention works or not. The final aim is to cope with the health outcomes due to insufficient fruits and vegetable consumption.
One simple answer COST! There are just a few ways to do it properly.
1. Cameras at the check out line and at the trash bin
2. Trained observers that watch children in cafeterias per and post.
3. Self report
4 Parents report
The last two are not as accurate as direct observation but lots of schools, lots of planning etc. Boils down to cost.
I am working on a systematic review that has gathered about 30 papers that use F&V as an outcome. So there are some out there.
Kindest regards,
Chris
Yes, Chris, actual consumption is costly and time-consuming to monitor. Self-reported questionnaires are bias in a follow-up, so what is left? It is easier to measure changes in BMI after an intervention and at follow-up.
I agree Joan, however, the change in BMI is an aim just for children who were overweight or obese before the program, but what about normal weight children? If they didn't ate fruit and vegetable at baseline, they could also benefit from increasing the FV consumption independently to BMI changes.
This may be true; however, normal weight children who do not eat fruits and vegetables are probably an exception. The larger public health issue is obesity and its long-term effects from childhood through adulthood.
Yes, probably there is a bias in my thought because in our samples alla children ate near to zero grams also at baseline, without differences between overweight and non-overweight. Thanks for your answer
Silvia, this is an interesting population. Environmental influences and availability must be the cause of this behavior. Children are influenced by role models. This is one of the theoretical underpinnings of behavior change. Availability in the schools is another approach. I would be interested to know the common dietary practices of the adults as well as the children in this population.
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