Impact of a school-based intervention to promote fruit intake: a cluster randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
There is evidence that fruit consumption among school children is below the recommended levels. This study aims to examine the effects of a dietary education intervention program me, held by teachers previously trained in nutrition, on the consumption of fruit as a dessert at lunch and dinner, among children 6-12 years old.


METHODS
This is a randomized trial with the schools as the unit of randomisation.


METHODS
A total of 464 children (239 female, 6-12years) from seven elementary schools participated in this cluster randomized controlled trial. Three schools were allocated to the intervention and four to the control group. For the intervention schools, we delivered professional development training to school teachers (12 sessions of 3 h each). The training provided information about nutrition, healthy eating, the importance of drinking water and healthy cooking activities. After each session, teachers were encouraged to develop classroom activities focused on the learned topics. Sociodemographic was assessed at baseline and anthropometric, dietary intake and physical activity assessments were performed at baseline and at the end of the intervention. Dietary intake was evaluated by a 24-h dietary recall and fruit consumption as a dessert was gathered at lunch and dinner.


RESULTS
Intervened children reported a significant higher intake in the consumption of fruit compared to the controlled children at lunch (P = 0.001) and at dinner (P = 0.012), after adjusting for confounders.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study provides further support for the success of intervention programmes aimed at improving the consumption of fruit as a dessert in children.
University of Minho, School of Nursing, Largo do Paço, 4704-553 Braga, Portugal; University of Minho, School of Education, Research Centre in Child Studies, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal. Electronic address: rrosario@ese.uminho.pt.
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Rosário
University of Porto, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Rua Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: anam_araujo@iol.pt.
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Araújo
University of Porto, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Rua Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: patriciapadrao@fcna.up.pt.
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Padrão
Erdal Association, Guimarães, Portugal. Electronic address: oscar.lopes@erdal.pt.
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Lopes
University of Porto, Faculty of Medicine, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200 - 319 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: andremoreira@med.up.pt.
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Moreira
University of Porto, Research Centre in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure, Rua Dr. Plácido Costa, 91, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: sandramrabreu@gmail.com.
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Abreu
University of Porto, Research Centre in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure, Rua Dr. Plácido Costa, 91, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: susanavale@hotmail.com.
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Vale
University of Minho, School of Education, Research Centre in Child Studies, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal. Electronic address: beatriz@ie.uminho.pt.
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Pereira
University of Porto, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Rua Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; University of Porto, Research Centre in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure, Rua Dr. Plácido Costa, 91, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: pedromoreira@fcna.up.pt.
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Moreira
D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004032:Diet / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012572:School Health Services
Children; Fruit for dessert; Intervention programme; Public health