Impact of a school-based food garden on attitudes and identification skills regarding vegetables and fruit: a 12-month intervention trial

Abstract

AbstractObjectiveTo determine changes in ability to identify specific vegetables and fruits, and attitudes towards vegetables and fruit, associated with the introduction of a school-based food garden.DesignA 12-month intervention trial using a historical control (controln132, interventionn120), class-based, self-administered questionnaires requiring one-word answers and 3-point Likert scale responses.SettingA state primary school (grades 4 to 7) in a low socio-economic area of Brisbane, Australia.InterventionThe introduction of a school-based food garden, including the funding of a teacher coordinator for 11 h/week to facilitate integration of garden activities into the curriculum.Main outcome measuresAbility to identify a series of vegetables and fruits, attitudes towards vegetables and fruit.AnalysisFrequency distributions for each item were generated andχ2analyses were used to determine statistical significance. Exploratory factor analysis was employed to detect major trends in data.ResultsThe intervention led to enhanced ability to identify individual vegetables and fruits, greater attention to origins of produce (garden-grown and fresh), changes to perceived consumption of vegetables and fruits, and enhanced confidence in preparing fruit and vegetable snacks, but decreased interest in trying new fruits.ConclusionsThe introduction of this school-based food garden was associated with skill and attitudinal changes conducive to enhancing vegetable and fruit consumption. The ways in which such changes might impact on dietary behaviours and intake require further analysis.