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Outcome evaluation of fruits and vegetables distribution interventions in schools: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
- Source :
-
Public health nutrition [Public Health Nutr] 2021 Oct; Vol. 24 (14), pp. 4693-4705. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Apr 19. - Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- Objective: Fruits and vegetables (FV) distribution interventions have been implemented as a public health strategy to increase children's intake of FV at school settings. The purpose of this review was to examine whether snack-based FV distribution interventions can improve school-aged children's consumption of FV.<br />Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of articles published in English, in a peer-reviewed journals, were identified by searching six databases up to August 2020. Standardised mean differences (SMD) and 95 % CI were calculated using a random effects model. Heterogeneity was quantified using I2 statistics.<br />Setting: Population-based studies of interventions where the main focus was the effectiveness of distributed FV as snacks to schoolchildren in North America, Europe and Pacific were included.<br />Results: Forty-seven studies, reporting on fifteen different interventions, were identified; ten studies were included in the meta-analysis. All interventions were effective in increasing children's consumption of FV, with only one intervention demonstrating a null effect. Pooled results under all classifications showed effectiveness in improving children's consumption of FV, particularly for multi-component interventions at post-intervention (SMD 0·20, 95 % CI 0·13, 0·27) and free distribution interventions at follow-up (SMD 0·19, 95 % CI 0·12, 0·27).<br />Conclusions: Findings suggest that FV distribution interventions provide a promising avenue by which children's consumption can be improved. Nonetheless, our results are based on a limited number of studies, and further studies should be performed to confirm these results. More consistent measurement protocols in terms of rigorous study methodologies, intervention duration and follow-up evaluation are needed to improve comparability across studies.
- Subjects :
- Child
Humans
Outcome Assessment, Health Care
Schools
Snacks
Fruit
Vegetables
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1475-2727
- Volume :
- 24
- Issue :
- 14
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Public health nutrition
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 33866997
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980021001683