Table 1.
Design Features of Interventions That Were Successful at Increasing Children's Vegetable Consumption
| Design feature | Description of intervention features | |
|---|---|---|
| Nutrition messages | Communicating a clear and consistent message about increasing vegetable consumption | |
| Multiple targets | Intervention messages aimed at >1 target audience (e.g., parents and children, parents and teachers) rather than a single audience (e.g., children only) | |
| Consistent message | Messages were consistent and delivered across multiple settings (e.g., home and school) | |
| Specific focus | Messages were specific, targeting only vegetables or fruits and vegetables rather than general healthy eating or healthy lifestyle | |
| Intervention design | Being exposed to the nutrition messages enough is important for increasing vegetable consumption | |
| Length | Interventions lasted >6 weeks in duration | |
| Frequency | There was frequent contact with the target participant, at least once a week | |
| Evaluation | An evaluation of the program measured the amount of vegetables consumed by children in serves (not just frequency) using a valid measurement tool to get a clear and accurate measure | |
| Sources of behavior | The reasons why children do not eat enough vegetables | |
| Psychological capability | Lacking knowledge or skills required to eat vegetables, for example, not knowing which vegetables to put into recipes | |
| Social opportunity | Limited social opportunities to eat vegetables, for example, not having social cues to remind children to eat vegetables | |
| Reflective motivation | Lacking the ability to plan or evaluate situations to increase vegetable consumption | |
| Intervention functions | Broad categories of ways through which interventions can change behavior | |
| Environmental restructuring | Changing the physical or social environment to promote eating vegetables, for example, putting vegetables at the start of a school canteen line | |
| Education | Increasing the knowledge and understanding of why eating vegetables is beneficial | |
| Enablement | Reducing barriers that might prevent the consumption of vegetables, for example, reducing the cost of vegetables | |
| Training | Providing training to increase skills regarding vegetable consumption | |