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2009–10 USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) in Indiana Improved Several Factors that Lead to Improved Health
Author(s) -
Lin Yi-Chun,
Foland Elizabeth,
Fly Alyce D.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.632.3
Subject(s) - logistic regression , intervention (counseling) , demography , environmental health , medicine , zoology , psychology , biology , psychiatry , sociology
US children consume inadequate amounts of fruit (F) and vegetables (V). In 2008, FFVP became a permanent national intervention program to combat this problem. Data from Indiana students at 3 intervention and 3 control schools during the 2009–10 program year were analyzed by logistic regression to determine probability of improvements in children's knowledge about daily F and V needs and their intention to eat, preference for, and daily variety (n=1486). Differences in daily intake were determined with analysis of covariance, with small differences in rate of free and reduced lunch treated as a covariate. No changes were found for control students. The probability that intervention students knew daily F and V were needed for health increased (+7% for fruit, p=0.04; +11% for vegetables, p=0.002) as did probability of eating more than one kind of F (+12%, p=0.001) or V (+9%, p=0.004) daily. There were no improvements in intention to eat F daily (p=0.203), though those with the intention were high at the onset of the program (74%). The frequency of students that intended to eat daily V began lower (40%) and the probability of eating daily V increased (9%, p=0.05) over time. Students’ preferences for F and V did not change (p=0.83, 0.932). Daily F intake in school increased about 0.5 times per day (p<0.001) with no change for V (p=0.247). These data show FFVP may improve children's health. Grant Funding Source : Indiana University