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Effects of a peer modelling and rewards-based intervention to increase fruit and vegetable consumption in children

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 58, pages 510–522 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: To measure children's consumption of, and liking for, fruit and vegetables and how these are altered by a peer modelling and rewards-based intervention.

Design: In this initial evaluation of the programme, children's consumption of fruit and vegetables were compared within and across baseline and intervention phases.

Setting: Three primary schools in England and Wales.

Subjects: In total, 402 children, aged from 4 to 11 y.

Interventions: Over 16 days, children watched six video adventures featuring heroic peers (the Food Dudes) who enjoy eating fruit and vegetables, and received small rewards for eating these foods themselves.

Main outcome measures: Fruit and vegetable consumption was measured (i) in school at lunchtime and snacktime using a five-point observation scale, with inter-rated reliability and weighed validation tests; and (ii) at home using parental recall. A questionnaire measured children's liking for fruit and vegetables before and after the intervention.

Results: Consumption during the intervention was significantly higher than during baseline at lunchtime and at snacktime (P<0.001 in all instances). Consumption outside school was significantly higher during the intervention on weekdays (P<0.05) but not weekend days. Following the intervention, children's liking for fruit and vegetables also showed a significant increase (P<0.001).

Conclusions: The peer modelling and rewards-based intervention was shown to be effective in bringing about substantial increases in children's consumption of, and expressed liking for, fruit and vegetables.

Sponsorship: Horticultural Development Council, Fresh Produce Consortium, ASDA, Co-operative Group, Safeway, Sainsbury, Somerfield, Tesco and Birds Eye Wall's.

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Acknowledgements

The project was supported by the Department of Health, Department for Education and Employment, Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Food Standards Agency. We thank all the school staff, pupils, and parents who participated, the respective health promotion and education authorities for recruiting the schools, and Tesco and Safeway for supplying some of the fruit and vegetables. We are particularly grateful to Doug Henderson, Colin Harvey, Margaret Charrington, Teresa Wickham, and Richard Hutchins for their unfailing support.

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  1. School of Psychology, University of Wales, Bangor, UK

    C F Lowe, P J Horne, K Tapper, M Bowdery & C Egerton

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  1. C F Lowe
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  2. P J Horne
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  3. K Tapper
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  4. M Bowdery
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Contributions

Guarantors: CF Lowe, K Tapper, and M Bowdery.

Contributors: CFL and PJH were the principal investigators; they devised the intervention, the central experimental design, and provided the theoretical underpinning. They directed the overall programme and contributed to data analysis and interpretation, and to the writing of the paper. KT supervised the data analysis, drafted the paper and contributed to programme development and implementation; data collection, analysis and interpretation; and staff training. MB and CE contributed to programme development and implementation; data collection, analysis and interpretation; staff training; and editing of the paper. The measures were designed by CFL, PJH, KT, MB, and CE. Valerie Hughes assisted with data collection and programme implementation and Charlotte Hardman assisted with data analysis. Chris Whitaker advised on statistical analyses.

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Correspondence to C F Lowe.

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Lowe, C., Horne, P., Tapper, K. et al. Effects of a peer modelling and rewards-based intervention to increase fruit and vegetable consumption in children. Eur J Clin Nutr 58, 510–522 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601838

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