US: Simple and small rewards increase kids vegetable consumption

The study tracked vegetable intake of 173 children, aged three to four years-old, randomly assigned to one of three groups over a 3-month period. In the first group, parents gave stickers as a reward each time their child sampled a disliked vegetable. The parents in the second group gave verbal praise only, and the third group, serving as the control group, gave no verbal praise or tangible reward. The parents gave the disliked vegetable to their child 12 times per day. Researchers assessed vegetable intake and liking of the disliked vegetable during the study period, and at one and 3 month intervals.

The findings published in the January 2012 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed children who were given a sticker as a reward for taking just one bite of the vegetable significantly increased their intake of that vegetable and their liking of it compared to the group receiving just verbal praise. Increases in the intake and liking of the children in the verbal praise group were not significantly different from the control group.

"The results of this new study continue to show the importance of introducing a variety of fruits and vegetables to children at an early age to help establish healthy eating habits early," says Elizabeth Pivonka, Ph.D., R.D., president and CEO of Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) the nonprofit entity in partnership with CDC behind the Fruits & Veggies--More Matters national public health initiative. "Adults are more likely to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables whether fresh, frozen, canned, dried, or 100 percent juice if they were exposed to them as children."

PBH has several tools and resources available for consumers who need information on nutrition, healthy eating, grocery shopping and cooking. The Fruits & Veggies--More Matters website and Facebook page provide inspiration, tips, information, and other types of support to make eating fruits and veggies easy, fun, and affordable. The website includes tools such as a recipe center, video center showing short clips on how to select, store and prepare different fruits and vegetables, and a fruit and vegetable nutrition database. Fruits and vegetables offer a great value - good for the budget, good for the body.

Source: wearecentralpa.com