Using the Veggie Meter in Elementary Schools to Objectively Measure Fruit and Vegetable Intake: A Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Nutrition science
• Biomarkers
• Pediatric health

Background:

• Self-reported fruit and vegetable (FV) intake in children has limitations.
• Objective measures are needed to accurately assess FV consumption in pediatric populations.
• The Veggie Meter (VM) is a portable device measuring skin carotenoids, a biomarker for FV intake.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of using the VM in elementary school settings.
• To describe the distribution of VM scores in school-aged children.
• To evaluate the association between VM scores and self-reported FV intake.

Main Methods:

• The VM was used to measure skin carotenoids in 143 elementary school children.
• Children also reported their FV consumption frequency from the previous day.
• Multivariable regression analyzed demographic associations with VM scores.

Main Results:

• The VM was successfully implemented in a school setting.
• A weak but significant correlation was found between reported vegetable intake and VM scores (r = 0.174, p = 0.042).
• Data on VM scores in this population were described, informing future studies.

Conclusions:

• The Veggie Meter is a viable tool for objective FV intake assessment in elementary schools.
• This study provides essential data for designing future research on children's nutrition.
• Objective measures like the VM can overcome limitations of self-reported dietary data in children.