Fruit and Vegetable Intake Is Associated with Food Knowledge among Children Aged 9–14 Years in Southwestern Ontario, Canada

Abstract

Interventions to improve dietary quality and intake of fruits and vegetables (FV) among Canadian children have had modest success, and it has been suggested that food knowledge could be key to improvement. Programs have been criticized for insufficiently connecting food knowledge with food skills and decision making about dietary intake. The objective of this study was to investigate factors associated with FV consumption by elementary school children, aged 9–14 years, in Ontario, Canada, including food knowledge, socioeconomic status, sociodemographic characteristics, and the food environment. In 2017–2019, a cross-sectional survey was administered to 2443 students at 60 elementary schools across Southwestern Ontario (SWO), Canada. A parent survey was used to validate self-reported sociodemographic variables. The mean intake of FV reported by these participants was 2.6 (SD 1.1) and 2.4 (SD 1.2) servings/day, respectively. A FV intake below WHO guidelines was reported by 40.7% of respondents. Knowledge score, child age, and parent employment status significantly predicted higher reported intake of FV. This study shows that FV intake among this population group is low, and increased intake is associated with higher food knowledge. To encourage healthy eating, school-based food and nutrition programs that incorporate multiple components and emphasize food literacy are needed.