title: A school gardening and healthy snack program increased Aboriginal First Nations children's preferences toward vegetables and fruit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The researchers evaluated the impact of a 7-month gardening and 4-month vegetable and fruit snack program on Aboriginal First Nations children's home consumption and preferences toward vegetables and fruit.
  
  
  METHODS
  The intervention was based on the Social Cognitive Theory. Children in grades 1-6 planted and tended classroom container gardens and prepared and ate what grew. At baseline and 7 months later, children tasted and rated 17 vegetables and fruit using a Likert scale and indicated whether they ate each food at home.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data were collected from 76 of 116 children (65.5%). Preference scores for vegetables, fruit, and vegetables and fruit combined increased over the 7 months (P < .017). Self-reported home consumption did not change.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  School interventions have the potential to increase children's preferences for vegetables and fruit. Family participation is likely required, along with increased community availability of produce, to promote home consumption.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food, and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Lucila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Triador
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food, and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada; Centre for Health Promotion Studies, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farmer
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maximova
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food, and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada. Electronic address: noreen.willows@ualberta.ca.
authors.forename: Noreen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Willows
authors.affiliation: Alexander First Nation Education, Morinville, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Jody
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kootenay
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D062410:Snacks / Q000523:psychology*; D014675:Vegetables
keywords: North American Indians; aboriginal; food preferences; gardening; health education; intervention studies