Evaluation of a Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program

Abstract

The goal of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) on participants' fruit and vegetable behavior at school and at home. The evaluation addressed 2 questions: (1) Did the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program affect students' availability of fruits or vegetable in the home. willingness to try or request fruits or vegetables from a parent, or fruit or vegetable consumption throughout the day? (2) Were any of these factors influenced by student age. ethnicity, family income. or gender? During the 2009-2010 school year, the intervention school distributed a daily fruit or vegetable snack to all students (kindergarten through grade 5) during the school day. Data were collected in the spring of 2010 from 3rd , 4th , and 5th grade students and their parents from two schools, one intervention (n=264) and one control (n=326), using a post-only survey. Data from parent and student surveys revealed no differences between schools; however, significant differences among demographic groups were uncovered. Students' willingness to try new fruits and vegetables was impacted by age, family income, and gender. When testing for the availability of fruits and vegetables in the home, data varied by age and ethnicity, while overall fruit and vegetable consumption scores and willingness to request fruits and vegetables from a parent differed by family income and gender. Findings indicate that the FFVP did not affect students' fruit and vegetable behavior away from school; conversely, student characteristics such as gender and family income did play a role. Future research should investigate if distributing free fruits and vegetables at school as a component of a more comprehensive approach, including supplemental activities such as nutrition education and parental involvement, would increase the positive outcomes of the program.