Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T10:57:33.116Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Role of Variety in Increasing the Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables Among Children

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 September 2016

David R. Just ,
Jesse Lund  and
Joseph Price
David R. Just
Affiliation:
Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management and Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Programs at Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York
Jesse Lund
Affiliation:
Department of Economics at the University of Texas, in Austin, Texas
Joseph Price
Affiliation:
Department of Economics at Brigham Young University, in Provo, Utah
Get access

Abstract

We use observational data from 22 elementary schools and over 48,000 child-day observations to examine the relationship between the number of fruit and vegetable items and the consumption patterns of children during school lunch. We find that each additional fruit or vegetable item that is offered increases the fraction of children who eat at least one serving of fruits and vegetables by 12 percent. We also use our observational data to provide practical information about which items are most likely to be eaten by children during lunch and compare this to the cost and nutritional quality of these items.

Keywords

varietyfruits and vegetablesschool lunchchildren
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Agricultural and Resource Economics Review , Volume 41 , Issue 1 , April 2012 , pp. 72 - 81
Copyright
Copyright © 2012 Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Block, G., Patterson, B., and Subar, A. 1992. “Fruit, Vegetables, and Cancer Prevention: A Review of the Epidemiological Evidence.” Nutrition and Cancer 18(1): 1–29.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cheng, K.C., Cahill, D.S., Kasai, H., Nishimura, S., and Loeb, L.A. 1992. “8-Hydroxyguanine, an Abundant Form of Oxidative DNA Damage, Causes G-T and A-C Substitutions.” Journal of Biological Chemistry 267: 166–172.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dalton, S. 2004. “Schools and the Rising Rate of Overweight Children.” Topics in Clinical Nutrition 19(1): 34–40.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Darmon, N., and Drewnowski, A. 2008. “Does Social Class Predict Diet Quality?” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 87(5): 1107–1117.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Davis, M., Baranowski, T., Resnicow, K., Baranowski, J., Doyle, C., Smith, M., Wang, D.T., Yaroch, A., and Hebert, D. 2000. “Gimme 5 Fruit and Vegetables for Fun and Health: Process Evaluation.” Health Education & Behavior 27(1): 167–176.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dibsdall, L.A., Lambert, N., Bobbin, R.F., and Frewer, L.J. 2003. “Low-Income Consumers’ Attitudes and Behaviour Towards Access, Availability and Motivation to Eat Fruit and Vegetables.” Public Health Nutrition 6(2): 159–168.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Epstein, L.H., Gordy, C.C., Raynor, H.A., Beddome, M., Kilanowski, C.K., and Paluch, R. 2001. “Increasing Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Decreasing Fat and Sugar Intake in Families at Risk for Childhood Obesity.” Obesity Research 9(3): 171–178.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Foote, J.A., Murphy, S.P., Wilkens, L.R., Basiotis, P.P., and Carlson, A. 2004. “Dietary Variety Increases the Probability of Nutrient Adequacy Among Adults.” Journal of Nutrition 134(7): 1779–1785.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fuhrman, J. 2008. Eat For Health: Lose Weight, Keep It Off, Look Younger, Live Longer. Flemington, NJ: Gift of Health Press.Google Scholar
Glynn, L. 2010. “Healthy Waltham: Kids, Eat Your Veggies—With a Napkin.” Waltham News Tribune (November 12, p. 9).Google Scholar
Just, D., and Price, J. 2011. “Using Incentives to Encourage Healthy Eating in Children.” Working paper, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.Google Scholar
Neumark-Sztainer, D., Story, M., Perry, C., and Casey, M.A. 1999. “Factors Influencing Food Choices of Adolescents: Finding from Focus Group Discussions with Adolescents.” Journal of the American Dietetic Association 99(8): 929–937.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nicklas, T.A., Johnson, C.C., Myers, L., Farris, R., and Cunningham, A. 1998. “Outcomes of a High School Program to Increase Fruit and Vegetable Consumption: Gimme 5—A Fresh Nutrition Concept for Students.” Journal of School Health 68(6): 248–253.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Patterson, B.L. 1990. “Fruit and Vegetables in the American Diet: Data From the NHANES II Survey.” American Journal of Public Health 80(12): 1443–1449.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pollack, S. 2001. “Consumer Demand for Fruits and Vegetables: The U.S. Example.” Report No. WRS01-1, Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.Google Scholar
Rimm, E.B., Ascherio, A., Giovannucci, E., Spiegelman, D., Stampfer, M.J., and Willett, W.C. 1996. “Vegetable, Fruit, and Cereal Fiber Intake and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease Among Men.” Journal of the American Medical Association 275(6): 447–451.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rolls, B.J., Rolls, E.T., Rowe, E.A., and Sweeney, K. 1981a. “Sensory Specific Satiety in Man.” Physiology & Behavior 27(1): 137–142.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rolls, B.J., Rowe, E.A., Rolls, E.T., Kingston, B., Megson, A., and Rachel, G. 1981b. “Variety in a Meal Enhances Food Intake in Man.” Physiology & Behavior 26(2): 215–221.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Serdula, M.K., Byers, T., Mokdad, A.H., Simoes, E., Mendlein, J.M., and Coates, R.J. 1996. “The Association Between Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Chronic Disease Risk Factors.” Epidemiology 7(2): 161–165.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wardle, J., Cook, L.J., Gibson, E.L., Sapochnik, M., Sheiham, A., and Margaret, L. 2003. “Increasing Children's Acceptance of Vegetables; A Randomized Trial of Parent-Led Exposure.” Appetite 40(2): 155–162.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
World Health Organization. 2002. “The World Health Report 2002: Reducing Risks, Promoting Healthy Lifestyle.” World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.Google Scholar