University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire An Evaluation of the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program...

University of Wisconsin-Eau ClaireUniversity of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

An Evaluation of the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program in

Wisconsin Schools

An Evaluation of the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program in

Wisconsin Schools

Anjali Anand and Beth Lutz Undergraduate Students

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Eric Jamelske, Ph.D.Assistant Professor, Economics Department


Lori Bica, Ph.D.Associate Professor, Psychology Department



OverviewOverview

Motivation & introduction Fresh fruit and vegetable program Evaluation process Willingness to try new fruits & vegetables Changes in consumption for low intake students Teacher & parent surveys Discussion & future research


IntroductionIntroduction

Overweight is now the most common medical condition of childhood in the United States, with the prevalence having more than doubled over the past 20 years

Poor nutrition, including inadequate fruit and vegetable

consumption amongst children and adolescents, remains a central cause

In 2002, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) was created to improve nutrition and help combat childhood obesity


IntroductionIntroduction

In November 2005, Wisconsin was added as an expansion state

25 schools provided daily fruit and vegetable snacks to students

in combination with nutrition education

We evaluate whether this program resulted in positive changes in attitude and behavior in terms of eating fruits and vegetables


WI Fresh Fruit & Vegetable ProgramWI Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program

Unique partnerships


Wisconsin Fresh Fruit &Vegetable ProgramWisconsin Fresh Fruit &Vegetable Program


Evaluation ProcessEvaluation Process Pre-program survey March 2006 (4th, 7th, 9th grades)*

Post-program survey I May, June 2006 (4th, 7th, 9th grades)*

Post-program survey II March 2007 (5th, 8th, 10th grades)

25 program and 10 control schools

Monthly food service reports

Teacher and parent surveys (5th grade)*


SampleSample

Pretest sample of 2,863 – 2,287 treatment 576 control

Posttest data entered for a subset of full sample

Further limited to only those with both pretest and posttest responses to survey questions that are the focus of this study

1,127 participants– 784 in 10 treatment schools & 343 in 10 control schools


Table 1: Pretest Data Willingness to Try New Fruits/Vegetables and to Choose Fruits/Vegetables as Snacks

Variable

N % Willing

Try new fruit at school 1120 33.8%

Try new vegetable at school 1118 20.8%

Try new fruit at home 1121 55.6%

Try new vegetable at home 1121 32.9%

Choose fruit as snack instead of chips/candy 1122 40.0%

Choose vegetable as snack instead of chips/candy 1120 21.0%

Note: The sample size varies due to non-response for some questions.


Measurement & EvaluationMeasurement & Evaluation

Indicator variable equal to 1 for those students with a positive change between the pre-test and post-test and 0 otherwise

14. If you were given a new kind of fruit at home, would you try it? I would not try it I might try it I would try it


Table 2: Pretest/Posttest Comparison Willingness to Try New Fruits/Vegetables and to Choose Fruits/Vegetables as Snacks

Treatment

Control

Variable

N

% Positive Change

N

% Positive Change

p

Try new fruit at school

741

24.8% 337

12.8%

<0.01

Try new vegetable at school

736

25.1% 337 18.4%

0.01

Try new fruit at home

741

15.4% 336 13.1%

0.31

Try new vegetable at home

740

18.2% 339 17.4%

0.74

Choose fruit as snack instead of chips/candy

742

18.1% 339 15.0%

0.21

Choose vegetable as snack instead of chips/candy

737

20.1% 336 16.4%

0.14

Note: The sample size varies due to missing data for some items.



Probit regression analysis– gender, race/ethnicity, grade, physical activity, TV/video game limits, family

dinners, and fast-food consumption

Treatment students were 12.1 percentage points more likely to report increased willingness to try a new fruit at school (p < 0.01)

Treatment students were 6.7 percentage points more likely to report increased willingness to try a new vegetable at school (p = 0.02)


Table 3: Fourth Grade Pretest/Posttest Comparison Willingness to Try New Fruits/Vegetables & to Choose Fruits/Vegetables as Snacks

Variable

Program N

% Program Positive Change

Control N

% Control Positive Change

p


347

25.1% 117

11.1%

<0.01


345

26.7% 115 12.2%

<0.01

Try new fruit at home

348

19.0% 115 13.9%

0.19

Try new vegetable at home

349

22.9% 117 17.1%

0.16

Choose fruit as snack instead of chips/candy

349

19.8% 117 18.8%

0.82

Choose vegetable as snack instead of chips/candy

346

24.3% 115 14.8%

0.02




Students reported their eating patterns using a list of food items, including 39 fruits and vegetables, for three consecutive days

Calculated each student's average daily fruit and vegetable intake for the three-day period

Subset of students who reported average daily fruit and

vegetable intake of one or less on the pretest



Indicator variable equal to 1 for those students with a positive change between the pretest and posttest and 0 otherwise

Positive change was defined as an increase in average daily fruit

and vegetable intake of at least 0.2 from pretest to posttest

The mean of this new variable measures the percent of students that increased their average daily fruit and vegetable consumption between the pretest and posttest


Table 4: Students With Low Initial Consumption Pretest/Posttest Comparison Willingness to Try New Fruits/Vegetables & Fruit/Vegetable Consumption

Variable

Program N

% Program Positive Change

Control N

% Control Positive Change

p


83

32.5% 33

15.2%

0.04


82

32.9% 33 15.2%

0.03

Average Daily Fruit and Vegetable Intake

86

62.8% 34 47.1%

0.13




A probit regression analysis with controls

Treatment students who reported low consumption initially were 19.5 percentage points more likely than control school students to report increased average daily intake of fruits and vegetables (p = 0.07)

4th grade treatment students (n = 40) were 29.7 percentage points more likely than control students (n = 17) to report increased average daily fruit and vegetable intake (p = 0.05)


FindingsFindings

We find a difference between the groups in willingness to try new fruits and vegetables at school, but not at home

These findings are not surprising given that school is where students are exposed to the new foods and where they are engaging in activities designed to promote fruits and vegetables

We find some evidence of a difference between the groups in increased average daily fruit and vegetable intake among students with low initial consumption

Positive program impacts were largest among 4th graders


FindingsFindings

Long term program success will require impacting both attitude and behavior beyond school and into the home

We anticipate that differences in attitudes toward trying new fruits and vegetables at home will emerge with longer exposure to the program

We also anticipate that differences in average daily fruit and vegetable intake will grow with longer exposure to the program


Future Research PlansFuture Research Plans

Also important for program success is the commitment and support of school personnel and administration

We conducted surveys of 5th grade teachers (N=38, 15 schools) and parents (N=256, 15 schools) in May 2007

1,100 fifth grade students in 16 schools

52 fifth grade teachers in 16 schools


T eac her L ikes P rog ram

23.7

76.3

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

S omewhat Agree

Agree


S tudents E njoy P rog ram

31.6

68.4

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

S omewhat A gree

A gree


S nac ks G iven In C las s room

2.6

26.3

71.1

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

S ometimes

Often

Always

T eac her E at S nac ks

5.3

18.4

44.7

31.6

0 10 20 30 40 50

Never

S ometimes

Often

A lways


Nutrition E duc ation

18.4

47.4

13.2

21.1

0 10 20 30 40 50

Never

S ometimes

Often

A lways

P arents Involved

63.2

15.8

2.6

13.2

5.3

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Never

S ometimes

Often

A lways

No R es pons e


P arent L ikes P rog ram

0.8

0.4

7.8

86.7

4.3

0 20 40 60 80 100

Dis agree

S omewhat Dis agree

S omewhat A gree

A gree

No R es pons e


C hild E njoys

2.3

1.6

18.4

71.5

2

4.3

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Dis agree

S omewhat Dis agree

S omewhat A gree

A gree

Don't K now

No R es pons e


Quantity of Veg etables C hild E ats

1.6

52

39.1

2

5.5

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

L es s

S ame

More

Don't K now

No R es pons e

Quantity of F ruits C hild E ats

37.9

52.3

3.5

6.3

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

S ame

More

Don't K now

No R es pons e


New F ruits T ried

10.2

59.4

21.5

3.9

5.1

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

None

S ome

Many

Don't K now

No R es pons e

New Veg etables T ried

16.4

55.1

18.4

5.1

5.1

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

None

S ome

Many

Don't K now

No R es pons e


C hild As ks P arent to B uy F &V

48.4

45.7

5.9

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

S ame

More

No R es pons e

P arent B uys F &V When C hild As ks

8.6

24.2

57.4

4.7

5.1

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

S ometimes

Often

A lways

C hild Never A s ks

No R es pons e


Involved as a P arent

76.2

16.4

0.8

2.3

4.3

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Never

S ometimes

Often

Always

No R es pons e


Teacher CommentsTeacher Comments

Students looked forward to the snacks...actually they seemed to work harder and with more focus.

We discussed the nutritional value of fruits & veggies to our bodies.

Our kitchen staff sent emails about the nutrients & the students in my class would look up what the nutrients help in our body.

We talked about nutrition, good snacks vs. bad snacks.

We had 1/2 a pg. color sheets…they colored it the color of the snack too, to see if they were getting diverse variety of nutrients.

We have a food pyramid & connect to it…we cooked some items and tried recipes.


Parent CommentsParent Comments As parents, we love the

fruit and vegetable program.

My son wants me to tell you, Please Don't Stop!

It lets him try a variety of fruits and vegetables we might not always buy at home.

Great Program! Builds awareness of healthy eating habits. Reinforces the message we give at home!

On weekends fruits and veggies are now also the snack of choice.

My son loves fruits and veggies now.

I only wish it had been offered earlier…

It has helped to reinforce what I've tried to do at home…they've accepted what I'm saying more readily.

When children see other kids eating fruits and vegetables, it makes them want to eat them too.


ConclusionsConclusions

Both parents and teachers like the program and perceive that students also like the program

Parents report students trying more new fruits and vegetables and eating more fruits and vegetables overall

Almost half of parents report their children asking to buy more fruits and vegetables

Nutrition education activities in the classroom and parental involvement in the program are lower than desired


Future ResearchFuture Research

Analyze program effects after one year

Examine food service reports to identify best practices

Focus on schools with intensive intervention

Further examine dietary recall data and changes in average daily fruit and vegetable intake

Continue more detailed analysis of teacher and parent surveys

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire An Evaluation of the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program...

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