What drives children's fruit and vegetable intake?

A review of the research on factors influencing the consumption of fruit and vegetables among six to 12-year-olds states the most important factors are availability, accessibility and taste preferences for fruit and vegetables.

Before you despair, take note: taste preferences can be influenced by repeated exposure to food in a positive social environment, as well as reward.

Increased liking and desirability is associated with foods that are given as rewards, whereas coercion to eat a food results in a decreased liking for it. (If you eat your spaghetti and meatballs you can have some carrots/beans/fruit?)

Trying to control a child’s intake is usually counter productive, as any parent who’s tried it can probably attest.  Adults need to be responsible for providing good foods and a positive environment, while the child needs to be responsible for how much of each food item they will eat.

Making fruit and vegetables available to children is really important, as is allowing them to ask you to buy or prepare a favourite fruit and vegetable (you don’t always have to comply).

Source: IFAVA Scientific Newsletter No. 6, November 2006