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Measuring fruit and vegetable preferences among 4th- and 5th-grade students
S B Domel1, T Baranowski, H Davis
1Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta.
Preventive Medicine
|November 1, 1993
Summary
Developing a reliable tool to measure children's fruit and vegetable preferences is key to meeting national dietary goals. This study created a simple questionnaire for 4th and 5th graders, finding preferences don't strongly predict consumption.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Dietary Assessment
- Child Psychology
Background:
- National dietary guidelines emphasize fruit and vegetable intake.
- Assessing children's preferences for fruits and vegetables is crucial for meeting these goals.
- Existing tools for measuring children's preferences are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a reliable and simple instrument for assessing fruit and vegetable preferences in children.
- To examine the relationship between children's preferences and their consumption of fruits and vegetables.
Main Methods:
- A classroom-administered questionnaire was developed and revised based on initial testing and factor analysis.
- The revised questionnaire assessed preferences for fruits, vegetables, and snacks.
- Reliability (internal consistency and test-retest) and validity were evaluated.
Main Results:
- The revised questionnaire demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity for 4th and 5th graders.
- Children showed higher preferences for fruits than vegetables.
- Preferences for fruits and vegetables were moderately correlated with exposure, but weakly correlated with actual consumption.
Conclusions:
- A simple, reliable, and valid questionnaire for assessing fruit and vegetable preferences in elementary school children was developed.
- The weak link between preference and consumption suggests environmental factors, like availability, may be more influential.
- This tool can aid in understanding children's dietary habits and informing interventions.