49 research outputs found
Increasing Fruit and Vegetable Intake among Children and Youth through Gardening-Based Interventions: A Systematic Review
Background: Although there are numerous health benefits associated with eating fruit and vegetables (FV), few children are consuming recommended amounts. Gardening interventions have been implemented in various settings in an effort to increase FV consumption of children by expanding knowledge, exposure, and preferences for a variety of FV. Objective: The purpose of this review was to identify the effectiveness of gardening interventions that have been implemented to increase FV consumption among children. Methods: A systematic review was conducted using four electronic databases: Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL. English language studies conducted in developed countries between January 2005 and October 2015 were included in this review. Included studies measured FV consumption of children ages 2-15 years old before and after implementation of a gardening intervention in a school, community, or after school setting. All study designs were included in this review. A total of 891 articles were identified through database searching and cross-referencing. After removing duplicates, 650 articles remained and were screened using inclusion and exclusion criteria. Twenty-seven full text articles were analyzed and 14 articles were included in this review. Results: Of the 14 articles reviewed, 10 articles found statistically significant increases in fruit or vegetable consumption among participants after implementation of a gardening intervention. However, many studies were limited by the use of convenience samples, small sample sizes, and self-reported measurements of FV consumption. Conclusions: Although the evidence is mixed and fraught with limitations, most studies suggest a small but positive impact of gardening interventions on children\u27s FV intake. Future studies that include control groups, randomized designs, and assessments of FV consumption over at least one year are needed to advance the literature on this topic
Preventing Allergies in Infants: What Foods to Introduce and When
Food allergies have become increasingly common over the past several years among children in the United States (Comberiati et al., 2019; Sicherer et al., 2017). Food allergies are a negative immune response occurring in the body after eating a specific food (Sicherer et al., 2017). Unlike food intolerances, such as lactose intolerance which causes uncomfortable symptoms in the stomach and intestines, allergic reactions to food can cause a wide range of serious and sometimes fatal symptoms (Konek & Becker, 2020). Food allergies can affect a child’s health and quality of life, while also impacting their caregivers’ lives (Sicherer et al., 2017). This fact sheet reviews causes of food allergies, recommendations for preventing food allergies, suggestions for introducing potential allergens to infants, and signs of an allergic reaction
Baby-Led Weaning: An Approach to Introducing Solid Foods to Infants
This fact discusses what baby-led weaning is and strategies to help parents feed their infant using this approach
Is Your Child Hydrated?
Adequate hydration is necessary for proper functioning of the body. Since children are more prone to dehydration than adults, it is essential that fluid intake and hydration status are monitored. This fact sheet provides information on daily fluid requirements for children, barriers to staying hydrated, and warning signs and impacts of dehydration
Dairy in Your Child\u27s Diet
This fact sheet presents the health benefits of dairy and busts some common myths to assist you in making informed decisions when purchasing dairy products for your children. It also includes information on dairy alternatives for children who, for one reason or another, do not consume dairy products
Helpful Hints for Parents of Picky Eaters
This fact sheet offers helpful hints to reduce picky eating and make mealtime enjoyable and fun for the whole family
The Benefits of Including Kids in the Kitchen
earning to cook is an essential life skill everyone should strive to develop at some point in their life. Involving kids in the kitchen is a great way to kickstart that learning from a young age and comes with numerous benefits. Cooking with kids provides opportunities to teach them about food and nutrition. Consequently, getting your kids cooking may be a great way to raise less picky and more adventurous eaters. The purpose of this fact sheet is to explore the benefits of cooking with children and provide some helpful tips to get started
Does Healthy Eating Cost More?
Decisions regarding food choices are based on a variety of factors including cost, taste, convenience, and availability. Most people feel that nutritious foods cost more than foods higher in calories and low in other important nutrients. In effort to save money, people may select less nutritious foods when shopping resulting in less healthy meals and snacks. This is a problem because diets rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and healthy fats have been found to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease among many others.This fact sheet discusses the cost of healthy eating and offer strategies to make healthy eating more affordable
Iron Deficiency in Pregnancy and Children
Meeting the proper iron recommendations is important for both children and mothers because iron is essential for growth and development. An inadequate intake of iron is the most common reason for iron deficiency. Eating appropriate amounts of iron during these stages of life is of upmost importance. Including sources of heme iron and vitamin C can help increase absorption of iron
How To Promote Intuitive Eating in Adolescents
Intuitive eating is a pattern of eating that includes awareness of hunger and fullness cues and encourages an appropriate and respectful response to them. It is a non-diet approach to eating and is not focused on weight loss or weight gain—although changes in weight can occur for individuals who adopt or practice intuitive eating. This fact sheet discusses how to promote intuitive eating in adolescents as a way to build a healthier relationship with food and improve body image