This thesis describes the development, implementation and evaluation of a school-based intervention to promote fruit and vegetable intake among 10-13 year-old European schoolchildren. The first part of the thesis addresses two determinant studies, a qualitative and a quantitative study, aimed at gaining insight into important and changeable determinants of schoolchildren’s fruit and vegetable intake. Part two describes the systematic development of an evidence-based and theory-driven intervention addressing relevant determinants of schoolchildren’s fruit and vegetable intake, i.e. taste preferences, knowledge of recommended intake levels, availability of fruit and vegetables, and parental influences. The intervention consisted of three components: educational lessons implemented at school, parental involvement and distribution of fruit and vegetables at school and has been implemented during two school years in the Netherlands, Norway and Spain. Part three of this thesis describes both the effect and process evaluation. Effects have been evaluated in a group-randomised trail among 2106 children from 62 schools. In each country schools were randomly assigned to an intervention or control group. The effects of this intervention on schoolchildren’s intake of fruit and vegetables, as well as changes in determinants of intake were assessed by means of validated questionnaires. Both at the short and the longer-term effects positive effects on frequency of fruit and vegetable intake, and portions of fruit intake were found. Besides, more children from the intervention group knew the daily-recommended intake levels for both fruit and vegetables. The short-term effects are associated with the degree of implementation of the lessons at school and degree of schoolchildren’s appreciation of the intervention.

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Brug, Prof. Dr. Ir. J. (promotor), Commission of the European Communities, Klepp, Prof. Dr. K.I. (promotor)
K.I. Klepp (Knut-Inge)
Erasmus University Rotterdam
hdl.handle.net/1765/8095
Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam

Wind, M. (2006, November 10). The development, implementation and evaluation of a school-based intervention to promote fruit and vegetable intake among 10-13 year-old European schoolchildren. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1765/8095