Development of a schoolbased intervention to promote fruit and vegetable consumption

Purpose The purpose of this research is to explore individual and social factors that are associated with children's F&V fruit and vegetable intake in order to develop a schoolbased intervention to increase their F&V consumption. Designmethodologyapproach Group interviews were conducted with ten groups of Dutch children n104, aged 412 years, and two groups of parents n28. Additionally, a total of ten parents participated in an interview by telephone. Opinions about the actual F&V consumption, awareness of consumption patterns, attitudes towards F&V, promotion of F&V consumption by parents and F&V intake at school were explored. Transcripts were analysed using Nvivo 2.0. Findings Several factors that are likely to increase F&V consumption of the participants were identified, such as preferences, modeling of F&V consumption by teachers and parents and availability of F&V in readytoeat form at home and school. Although both children and parents favoured activities to promote F&V at school, most parents were not willing to participate in these activities. Research limitationsimplications The present study obtains information from a broad perspective, and not from a representative sample. Practical implications This article is a useful source for health promotion planners that are developing foodrelated interventions for children. Originalityvalue Information on factors that influence children's F&V consumption is usually acquired through parents. It is questionable whether parents are aware of the factors that influence their children's food choice. Therefore this study combined information gathered among parents with information gathered directly among children.