Effects of harvest of the month curriculum on mediators of children's vegetable intake

Children do not eat the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables. This study attempted to address low vegetable intake among 4th grade children through evaluating the effects of the California Department of Public Health's Harvest of the Month (HOTM) curriculum on mediators of vegetable intake and reported/actual vegetable intake. This was an experimental classroom-based pretestlposttest research design with collection of objective vegetable intake data. Ninety-nine students from two Northern California elementary schools participated in the four week long intervention. During Spring, 2015, students in the intervention group participated in four, thirty-minute HOTM classes with associated taste-tests. Pre/post surveys measuring knowledge, preferences, self-efficacy, and reported vegetable intake were analyzed using analysis of covariance. Pre-weighed vegetable cups were provided to the students at baseline and postintervention. T -test and analysis of variance identified significant differences in amount consumed. Study results showed little to no significant differences in mediators of vegetable intake, reported intake and actual vegetable intake post four HOTM lessons.