The effect of school gardening and a healthy snack program on First Nations children’s knowledge and attitudes about vegetables and fruit, and their consumption of these foods at home

• Author / Creator

  Triador, Lucila

• Excess weight has a strong impact on First Nations children’s health. Adequate vegetable and fruit consumption is one way to potentially prevent children from having excess weight. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a 7-month school gardening and a 4-month healthy snack program on First Nations children’s knowledge and attitudes about vegetables and fruit, and their consumption of these foods at home. Anthropometric measures were taken to determine weight status. Caregiver’s food choices were documented.
  Children in this study (n=76) significantly increased their overall vegetable and fruit attitude score from baseline. Children liked foods that were familiar, which were those frequently consumed at home. Of the 60 children for whom we had anthropometric data, overweight/obesity (60%) and abdominal obesity (28.3%) were high. Caregivers’ diets indicated an integration of
  traditional and Western foods.
  Future garden-based interventions should ensure family participation to promote healthy eating behaviours in Aboriginal children.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • First Nations children
  • Healthy snack program
  • Childhood obesity
  • Vegetable and fruit knowledge, attitudes and consumption
  • School gardening

• Graduation date

  Spring 2013

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3VS8K

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.