Influence of choice on vegetable intake in children: an in-home study. (1st August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: de Wild, Victoire W.T.; de Graaf, Cees; Boshuizen, Hendriek C.; Jager, Gerry
• Is Part Of: Appetite. Volume 91(2015)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 6
• Publication Date: 2015-08-01
• Subjects: Choice as strategy -- Vegetable consumption -- Young children -- Healthy diet -- Family dinner; Food habits -- Periodicals; Appetite -- Periodicals; Appetite disorders -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 306.4613
• DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2015.03.025
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0195-6663

Abstract

Highlights: We investigated choice-offering as strategy to increase children's vegetable intake. Seventy children (2–6 years) received 12 times six familiar vegetables at home. Intake in the choice group was higher than in the no-choice group. Additionally, baseline vegetable liking and age predicted vegetable intake. It seems that other factors also mediate the effect of choice-offering. Abstract: Children's vegetable consumption is still far below that recommended, and stimulating their intake is a challenge for caregivers. The objective of this study was to investigate whether choice-offering is an effective strategy to increase children's vegetable intake in an in-home situation. Seventy children (mean age 3.7; SD 1) randomly assigned to a choice or a no-choice condition, were exposed 12 times to six familiar target vegetables at home during dinner. In the choice group, two selected vegetables were offered each time, whereas the no-choice group only received one vegetable. Vegetable intake was measured by weighing children's plates before and after dinner. A mixed linear model with age, gender, and baseline vegetable liking as covariates was used to compare intake between the choice and the no-choice group. Mixed linear model analysis yielded estimated means for vegetable intake of 48.5 g +/− 30 in the no-choice group and 57.7 g +/− 31 for the choice group ( P = 0.09). In addition, baseline vegetable liking ( P < 0.001) and age ( P = 0.06) predicted vegetable intake to be higher when the child liked vegetables better and with older age. These findings suggest that choice-offering has some, but hardly robust, effect on increasing vegetable intake in children. Other factors such as age and liking of vegetables also mediate the effect of offering a choice.