Successful strategies to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables: results from the Danish '6 a day' Work-site Canteen Model Study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate changes in the consumption of fruits and vegetables in work-site canteens using the tools of continuous quality improvement, and to gain knowledge of practical strategies being effective in increasing the consumption.


METHODS
Study design included baseline data collection, an 8 h training session for all canteen staff, goal setting, strategy development and implementation for each canteen, end-point data collection and a follow-up data collection 4 months from the end-point (1 year from baseline). The main outcome measurement was average grams of fruits and vegetables per lunch meal served per customer (net weight; potatoes not included).


METHODS
Five workplaces in Denmark: a military base, an electronic component distributor, a bank, a town hall and a waste-handling facility.


METHODS
Work-site canteen managers, staff and customers.


RESULTS
There were significant increases in the total consumption of fruits and vegetables for all five work-site canteens from baseline to end-point, 70 g per customer on average (67, 54, 39, 88 and 103 g, respectively). The follow-up data collection showed that the canteens either maintained or significantly increased consumption, the average increase being 95 g per customer compared with baseline (77, 60, 86, 70 and 183 g, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates a large potential for work-site canteens to increase customers' intake of fruits and vegetables at lunch and suggests a broad spectrum of strategies to compose meals that are both rich in fruits and vegetables and attractive to customers.
Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Mørkhøj Bygade 19, DK-2860 Søborg, Denmark. ann@fdir.dk
Anne
A
Lassen
Anne Vibeke
AV
Thorsen
Ellen
E
Trolle
Mette
M
Elsig
Lars
L
Ovesen
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003718:Denmark; D004032:Diet / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005522:Food Services / Q000592:standards*; D005638:Fruit; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012147:Restaurants; D014675:Vegetables