Differences in fruit and vegetable exposure and preferences among adolescents receiving free fruit and vegetable snacks at school

Low fruit and vegetable (FV) intakes are associated with excess body weight. The United States Department of Agriculture sponsors a Free Fruit and Vegetable Program in schools whereby students receive free FV snacks daily. This study assessed whether the program improved student exposure to and preferences for FV in a Houston high school in 2006-2007. Anonymous, post-intervention only FV exposure and preference surveys were completed by 2000 intervention school students and 1600 students in a comparison school during May, 2007. Differences in FV exposure and preferences were assessed, as well as differences in preferences between those students who tasted the item for the first time at school compared to those who had tasted the item before. The comparison school average scores for prior FV exposure and vegetable preferences were significantly higher than the intervention school scores. Intervention school students who had tasted the item previously reported significantly higher preferences than students who had tasted it for the first time at school. Access to the Free Fruit and Vegetable Program did not appear to improve high school student reported FV exposure and preferences. Future research should investigate the connection between food exposure, preferences and consumption in adolescents.