Survey of Afterschool Programs Suggests Most Offer Fruit and Vegetables Daily

Area of Science:

• Public Health Nutrition
• Childhood Nutrition
• Afterschool Program Research

Background:

• Children's fruit and vegetable underconsumption is a significant public health concern.
• Afterschool programs play a crucial role in providing nutritional support to children.
• Understanding factors influencing healthy snack offerings in these programs is vital.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the frequency and quality of fruit and vegetable offerings during snacks in U.S. afterschool programs.
• To examine program-level factors associated with offering fruits and vegetables.
• To assess the role of the National AfterSchool Association Healthy Eating and Physical Activity standards.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive analyses and regression modeling were employed.
• Data were collected from 684 National AfterSchool Association members and colleagues via a 2015 online survey.
• Focus on fruit and vegetable offerings at the previous snack.

Main Results:

• 63% of programs offered fruit, vegetables, or both at snack time.
• Healthiest options like fresh produce were most frequently selected.
• Program membership in the National AfterSchool Association, use of its standards, and staff training were associated with increased offerings; school district programs offered less fruit.

Conclusions:

• National AfterSchool Association membership and adherence to its Healthy Eating and Physical Activity standards are linked to offering fruits and vegetables.
• Despite positive associations, over a third of surveyed sites offered neither fruit nor vegetable, indicating a need for broader standards implementation.
• Targeted interventions and broader adoption of evidence-based guidelines are necessary to improve children's nutrition in afterschool settings.