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

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

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

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

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

Pan arctic terrestrial snowmelt trends (1979–2008) from spaceborne passive microwave data and correlation with the Arctic Oscillation

We report pan-arctic terrestrial snowmelt trends for the period 1979 – 2008 derived from spaceborne microwave brightness temperature (Tb) and study the correlation between these trends and the Arctic Oscillation (AO). Melting is detected using a spatially and temporally dynamic algorithm using the difference between daytime and nighttime Tb values (Diurnal Amplitude Variations, DAV). Results indicate statistically significant negative trends for melt onset and end dates as well as for the length of the melt season. On the average, over the past 30 years melt has been starting (finishing) ∼0.5 days/year (∼1 days/year) earlier and the length of the melting season is shortening by ∼0.6 days/year. Results indicate that the AO index variability can explain up to 50% of the melt onset variability over Eurasia and only 10% of that over North America, consistent with spatial patterns of surface temperature changes related to the AO

Breastfeeding or Formula Feeding: A Mother\u27s Choice

Deciding how to feed an infant is a decision that should be made by a mother and her family. The benefits of exclusively breastfeeding an infant for the first six months of life are well established (World Health Organization [WHO], 2017); however, it may not always be feasible or a preferred option. For mothers who cannot or choose not to breastfeed, formula feeding is a great option that can support a healthy and thriving infant. This fact sheet will address common questions about breastfeeding and formula feeding to help mothers make an informed decision on how to feed their infant, whether it is by breastfeeding, formula feeding, or a combination of the two