April 4, 2006 – All parents know how essential fruits and vegetables are to the health of their children. But often, they don’t know how to convince them to eat it every day! Even public authorities must redouble their efforts through promotional campaigns to change the eating habits of young people.
Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, in England, offer some interesting solutions to public authorities. They analyzed the results of 15 studies on promotional programs or interventions aimed at encouraging young people to consume more fruits and vegetables. Eleven of these studies targeted primary-age children and the remaining four targeted adolescents.
First finding: Younger children are much more likely than adolescents to change their eating habits. Seven of the eleven promotional campaigns carried out with elementary school students increased the consumption of fruits and vegetables by up to an additional serving per day. By comparison, a quarter of the interventions carried out with adolescents had such an impact and again, only with girls, boys having remained indifferent.
Second observation: perseverance is essential. Researchers have found that the longer the promotion programs are spread out, the more successful they tend to be. The most effective of these interventions lasted at least 12 months. “But duration alone is no guarantee of success. It is important to assess the impact of these interventions very quickly in order to be able to adjust the focus if necessary ”, indicates the principal researcher, Cécile Knai.
Third observation: the message must be varied and diversified. The message – eat fruits and vegetables – must come from different sources to reach the intended audience. Posters, cooking lessons, class discussions, example of peers, and involvement of cafeteria staff are just a few of the channels that can be used.
“We have to act on the environment and not just on the message,” concludes Cécile Knai. The two main environments in which young people live, home and school, must be conducive to the consumption of fruits and vegetables. “
In most parts of the world, children and adults alike do not consume the minimum amounts of fruits and vegetables, as suggested by public health agencies.
However, children whose diets are rich in fruits and vegetables are less at risk than others of suffering from childhood diseases, according to a growing number of scientific studies. They would also be better protected against cancer and cardiovascular disorders that can occur in adulthood.
Jean-Benoit Legault – PasseportSanté.net
1. Knai C, Pomerleau J, Lock K, McKee M. Getting children to eat more fruit and vegetables: a systematic review, Prev Med, 2006 Feb; 42 (2): 85-95.
