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Abstract

Objectives: This study highlighted the low intake of vegetables among preschool children and determined whether changing the shape of vegetables increased their level of consumption. Vegetables are less desirable compared to more attractive unhealthy choices available to children, and discovering a strategy to promote vegetables is important. The aim of the study was to explore the effect of repeated exposure to interesting-shaped vegetables on consumption. The other aim was to determine the level of accessibility of vegetables at home and its influence on children�s consumption. Methods: This quasi-experiment compared the amount of consumption between different days and different vegetable shapes. Fortytwo preschool children aged 2-5 years attending four different day care centers in London, Ontario, Canada were provided on the 1st day with natural-shaped vegetables (carrot, cucumber, sweet red pepper) to determine their baseline consumption of uncut vegetables. They were provided later with the same vegetables cut in interesting shapes (flower, star and owl/bat) with and without a preferred dip. On the 8th day of the experiment, the natural-shaped vegetables were provided again to determine how the interesting shapes influenced their consumption of the natural-shaped vegetables. Results: The preschool children�s consumption of natural-shaped vegetables increased by 10.5% on the final day of the experiment. Providing preferred dips with the vegetables did not increase their consumption of vegetables. Repeated exposure to interestingshaped vegetables seemed to increase the preschool children�s liking and consumption of vegetables and improved their eating experiences. Accessibility of vegetables at home did not have any effect. Implications & Conclusions: With no recommended best approach to increase children�s intake of vegetables, caregivers/parents or dietitians must find ways or adopt methods to influence positively children�s consumption. There is a need to understand children�s perception of vegetables and factors in their social and physical environments that influence their eating behavior.

Biography

Email: salma.alhesbhi@uaeu.ac.ae