Low Income Children Eat More Fruits And Veggies During School

Much of a child's diet will determine optimal cognitive development along with the prevention of various health issues.

A new study published in the journal Preventive Medicine shows that fruit and vegetable intake were higher among low income adolescents on days when they consumed meals at school compared to days when low income adolescents were not in school. The opposite was also true for high income adolescents who consumed fewer fruits and vegetables when school was in session.

"Innovation in school food offerings for kids has emphasized increased consumption of fruits and vegetables and it's working for low income kids, but the evidence shows that a different strategy may be needed to have the same positive effect on high income kids," said lead study author Meghan Longrace, PhD, of Dartmouth Hitchcock's Preventive Medicine, in a news release. 

For the study, researchers surveyed 1,885 NH and VT middle school students and their parents through the phone. Using a unique longitudinal study, they created a type of "natural experiment" that helps to randomly allocate participants to be surveyed at different times of the year. Adolescents were asked to recall fruit and vegetable consumption in the previous seven days.

Findings showed that children from low income households were more likely to eat fruits and vegetables if they were presented in the school environment.

"This study confirms that the national and regional school food programs provide an important source of fruits and vegetables for low income adolescents, which we know is a key indicator of dietary quality," concluded study author Madeline, Dalton, PhD of Dartmouth Hitchcock's Norris Cotton Cancer Center and The Hood Center for Children and Families.

For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).