Encouraging vegetable intake in children
Children’s fruit and vegetable consumption is below that recommended. An important reason for their low vegetable consumption, is that many children do not like vegetables. In this thesis, we focused on the role of parental strategies, children’s cognitive development and properties of food in order to develop new approaches to increase fruit and vegetable consumption in 4- to 12-year-old children.
First, three observational studies were performed. Subsequently, we investigated three approaches for their effectiveness in increasing children’s vegetable acceptance. We varied the preparation method of vegetables, we combined vegetables with energy (flavour-nutrient learning), and, in the final study, we offered the children a choice or no choice between two vegetables.
The results showed that children’s aversion to pure vegetable tastes is hard-wired. They preferred vegetables that were crunchy, with the typical vegetable taste, and without brown colouring or a granular texture. The children appreciated being able to choose, but there was no immediate increase in their vegetable acceptance.
Thesis:“Encouraging vegetable intake in children. The role of parental strategies, cognitive development and properties of food”.