Impact of a multimedia educational tool incorporating theoretical and mixed methods on the fruit and vegetable intakes of middle school children

Abstract

In the United States, over 30 percent of children are categorized as overweight or obese. Comorbid conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and other health complications related to obesity, are also on the rise. This public health issue is often related to disproportionate dietary intake and lack of physical activity. Efforts that promote fruits and vegetables (F/V) as preferred food choices over high fat and high sugar foods may help combat the increasing incidence of overweight and obesity. Other benefits from F/V include prebiotics or fiber that helps to create and maintain a healthy microbiota, which is now recognized as essential for long-term positive health outcomes. Many children, however, fall short in consuming the recommended daily amounts of F/V servings, and therefore, lack key nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and fiber. This study is a pilot, quasi-experimental design that provides information related to the importance of eating F/V to children, ages 11-12 years, who attend a parochial school in Indianapolis, Indiana. The data from this study describe the amounts of F/V servings in home-prepared school lunches. The primary aim of this study is to determine if eight interactive multimedia lessons and activities delivered to one group of students (intervention) and a single lesson delivered to a different group of students in the same school and grade (control), affects the amount of lunch F/V servings, student knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy/perception. This baseline data will contribute to the design and implementation of a health curriculum for middle school age students. Focus groups, adapted validated assessment tools as well as the on-site observation of F/V servings brought in lunches and consumed at lunch are compared between both groups to document any effects of the instruction. The results show that a statistically significant change in knowledge occurred within the intervention group following the implementation of this F/V education series. Favorable findings, with a positive upward trend in relative amounts of F/V, were identified and more research in this area is warranted.