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The effect of freedom of choice in increasing vegetable consumption in Greek pre-school children: The HabEat Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 December 2017

V. Costarelli ,
G. Moschonis ,
A. Yiannopoulou  and
Y. Manios
V. Costarelli
Affiliation:
Human Ecology Laboratory, Department of Home Economics and Ecology, Harokopio University, Greece
G. Moschonis
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition & Dietetics Harokopio University, 70 El. Venizelou Ave, 176 71 Kallithea, Athens, Greece
A. Yiannopoulou
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition & Dietetics Harokopio University, 70 El. Venizelou Ave, 176 71 Kallithea, Athens, Greece
Y. Manios
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition & Dietetics Harokopio University, 70 El. Venizelou Ave, 176 71 Kallithea, Athens, Greece
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Abstract

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Abstract
Information
Proceedings of the Nutrition Society , Volume 76 , Issue OCE4: Summer Meeting, 10–12 July 2017, Improving Nutrition in Metropolitan Areas , 2017 , E152
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2017 

Consumption and liking of vegetables in preschool children is low and strategies to improve intake in this age group are of great importance. Choice-offering, as a possible strategy to increase intake of vegetables in pre-school children, has not been thoroughly investigated in the past ( Reference Russell and Worsley 1 – Reference Domínguez, Gámiz and Nájera 3 ). The aim of this study was to explore the possible effect of free choice in increasing the consumption vegetables in pre-schoolers.

Fifty-two children (two classes), 3–5 years old (mean = 4·10 years, SD = 0·37, boys 67·3 %) participated in this, with-in subject design, study. Three different vegetables that were familiar to children and were of equal liking, were selected for the study, after a pre-test (carrot, cucumber and tomato). The children were offered the vegetables (100gr portion) in the nursery, in a raw form, as a starter, prior to the main meal of the day, under two different experimental conditions: freedom of choice and no choice. The duration of the study was 3·5 weeks (twice a week). The results are presented in the following table:

Table: Consumption of the vegetable/vegetables (total) in the 6 visits of the intervention (grams)

Vegetable stimulus A (cucumber), B (tomato) & C (carrot)

The freedom of choice condition seems to lead to an increased consumption of the vegetables in comparison to the no choice condition (p = 0·002 Friedman test). To investigate the effect of freedom of choice on vegetable consumption (across stimuli) the Wilcoxon pair test has been employed. There were statistically significant differences in vegetable consumption between visit 1 (no choice) with visit 5 (freedom of choice), p = 0·031 and between visit 3 (no choice) and visit 5 (freedom of choice), p = 0·0001. In addition, when comparing visit 4 (mixed stimulus-no choice) with visit 6 (combination of 2 vegetables- freedom of choice) the children consumed significantly more vegetables in condition 6, p = 0·008.

It is plausible, that offering a choice of vegetables to toddlers, may be a useful strategy to increase vegetable consumption.

References

1. Russell, CG & Worsley, A (2007) Public Health Nutrition 10, 1223–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2. Zeinstra, GG, Renes, RJ, Koelen, MA et al. (2010) American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 91, 349–56.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3. Domínguez, PR, Gámiz, F, Nájera, MG et al. (2013) Food Quality and Preference 30, 108–113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Figure 0

Table: Consumption of the vegetable/vegetables (total) in the 6 visits of the intervention (grams)