Garden-enhanced nutrition curriculum improves fourth-grade school children's knowledge of nutrition and preferences for some vegetables.

摘要

A study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a comprehensive one-year nutrition programme designed to improve the nutrition knowledge and vegetable preferences of upper elementary school-aged children. 213 students from 3 schools in Davis,California, USA participated in the study [date not given]. Nutrition lessons were developed and a gardening component was incorporated into each lesson. One school, the control (CO), received no formal nutrition or gardening education (n=61). The students from another school received only the in-class nutrition lessons (NL; n=71). Students in the 3rd school received both in-class nutrition lessons and the hands-on gardening activities (NG; n=81). Scores from students at the NL and NG sites were significantly greater than those at the CO site (F=24.238, P < 0.0005). These improvements were maintained even after 6 months (F=18.270, P < 0.0005). Students at the NL and NG sites increased their preferences for carrots and broccoli. However, students at the NG site also increased their preferences for snow peas and zucchini. It is suggested that this intervention improves a student's preference for vegetables to which they were not directly exposed.